Check out the newly launched Concert Info page! You can click on the link here, or navigate to your child's grade from the "Concert Info" menu at the top of the page. You'll find lyrics, music, videos, downloadable practice materials, and background information for the songs that your children are preparing for our winter concert.
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This week was a busy and unusual one with the start of a new quarter, conferences, and the introduction of new concert music.
This year's winter concert will be focused on the theme of peace. Students have started thinking about how this theme is an integral part of the holidays they celebrate, and how it connects so many of the holidays that are celebrated in winter, including Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa, and New Year's. Fifth Grade: Melody Fifth graders continued writing and playing scales this week. They have been learning about the pattern of half and whole steps that make up a major scale by studying the C, F, and G major scales. We have begun discussing our concert theme by brainstorming what peace means, especially around the winter holidays. They reviewed last year's study of rounds with their first concert piece, Dona Nobis Pacem, a Latin song with lyrics that translate to "grant us peace." Fourth Grade: Melody Fourth graders did well on their quiz on melody this week. They started a new unit on rhythmic duration, and I'm finding that the concepts of how long notes are is a review for most of them. They have no problem reading, playing and saying the rhythms we've been looking at! These students were also introduced to their first concert piece this week: Stille Nacht (Silent Night in German!). Third Grade: Melody Third graders learned more about the history of The Star Spangled Banner this week. Francis Scott Key wrote the words for this song on the back of a letter while he waited in a ship's prison while the British heavily bombed the American Fort McHenry during a battle in the War of 1812. Throughout the night, he kept watching to see if the American flag was still flying over the fort. In the morning, it was still there! His poem was set to a song that he had in mind as he wrote it: The Anacreontic Song. It became the national anthem of the United States of American in 1931. Second Grade: Singing Second graders have been applying what they've been learning about good singing habits as they begin work on their first concert song, The Rocking Carol. This Czech Christmas song has students singing in their high register (head voice) and singing some larger intervals. It's a real workout for the voice, but the students are showing that they're up for the challenge! First Grade: Voice After a little more review on the four voice types, first graders are diving into their first concert song, Peace Like a River. Although this song isn't specifically about any of the winter holidays, it is about ideas that are an important part of a variety of holidays – peace, love, and joy. They've already memorized and can sing three verses of the song! Kindergarten: Melody We've continued reviewing the concept of up and down in singing, and started work on a fun December song for the concert. A Time for Love completes the sentence, "December is a time for ________" in many different ways, and includes contrasting sections, which makes it a song that's interesting to listen to and sing! The end of the quarter has been very busy, and unfortunately, my good intentions to post something every week didn't work out so well this month! I'll try to be better in November.
Fifth Grade: Melody Fifth graders have been learning more about melody this week. Although the concept of melody (how notes are put together to create a tune) is one that they have learned about in previous years, they are now learning about more of the complexities of melody. This week's focus was on whole steps vs. half steps and accidentals–sharps, flats, and naturals. The classes are practicing writing scales (clef, key signatures, and notes) to get used to writing in music notation. Once they've written their scales, they're playing them on piano! Fourth Grade: Melody Fourth graders have also been working through a unit on melody, but their focus is on ascending vs. descending scales and major vs. minor melodies. They're doing a great job of recognizing if a piece of music sounds major (happy) or minor (sad)! Most have finished up their melody unit and are now starting a new unit on rhythmic duration. Third Grade: Melody Just like fourth and fifth grade, third grade is also learning about melody! The focus in third grade is on learning how to read the notes on the staff. We came up with all kinds of memory aids to remember the line notes in the treble clef staff (Every Good Boy Does Fine, Ernie Gave Bert Dead Fish, Every Grandma Bakes Delicious Fudge, etc.). The space notes are even easier! See a space, spell FACE! To illustrate how most songs use notes that step, skip, and repeat, they've been studying The Star Spangled Banner. They've really gotten interesting in the history and meaning of our national anthem! Second Grade: Singing Second graders are quickly becoming excellent sight singers! They're starting to learn the notes of the solfege scale (do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti, do), and are already comfortable with do, mi, sol, and la and the hand signs used for those notes. They're able to identify these four notes in written notation, read and sing them, and hear them in recorded music. I'm very impressed with how well they're doing! First Grade: Voice First grade started the week by scaring poor Ms. Gross, Ms. Latterall, and Mr. Stang with their performance of Skin and Bones on Halloween. If you haven't heard it already, and think you can handle a scary song, ask your first grader for a performance! First graders have been enjoying reviewing the four voice types–whisper, talk, shout, and sing–and learning about how their voices are their own unique instruments. Kindergarten: Melody Just like the older kids, kindergartners are learning about melody, too. They're starting with the foundations of melody: up and down. They've been practicing singing, hearing, and moving to the upward and downward melodic movement in songs. I will be available for conferences this Tuesday from 1:00 to 6:00 and Thursday from 1:00 to 8:00. If you know you'd like to stop in to discuss your child's progress in music class, please send me an email or fill out the form below to let me know when you'll be in, and I can be sure to be prepared with work samples, etc. Otherwise, you are welcome to drop in to discuss grades, say hello, or check out the room! |
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