Another Amahl

Amahl and the Night Visitors will also be performed at Plymouth Church in Seattle:
--7:30 pm Friday, January 7th, and
--11:00 am Sunday, January 9th

http://pcucc.squarespace.com/events-calendar/2010/12/3/amahl-and-the-night-visitors-jan-7-9.html

Opera in Fourth Grade

Every year I make sure my fourth-graders have some contact with opera. Last year the whole school saw Menotti's The Telephone. This year that won't happen, so fourth-graders have been hearing arias from Amahl and the Night Visitors (also by Menotti).

One reason I use Amahl is that each year at this time, multiple community groups perform it. One group is beginning its run tomorrow:
www.leavenworthsummertheater.org/Amahl-and-the-night-visitors

And Twelfth Night Productions does it every year.  This year's production will be January 7 and 8 at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center in West Seattle:
http://www.twelfthnightproductions.org/

As I find other performances, I will post them here.

Another reason I've chosen Amahl is that it's in English and it lasts about an hour, so it's a very "accessible" opera. Your fourth-grader might enjoy seeing it, especially as s/he has been exposed to some of the music. Try asking her or him about the difference between "aria" and "recitative"!

N.B.--The "Night Visitors" are the "Three Kings" or "Wise Men" of the Christmas story. The Kings tell Amahl and his mother that they are following a star to find and give gifts to a child who will be a special kind of king. The child is not named in the opera. The generosity of Amahl and his mother results in a miraculous healing.

Singing Together

All my students, kindergarten through fourth grade (I'll see fifth after January) have been learning and practicing songs for our sing-along assembly.  The youngest begin learning "America" and "America, the Beautiful", as well as "This Land is Your Land", "The Earth is Our Mother", and "Over the River".  Older grades add "The Star-Spangled Banner", "Hymn for Nations" (to Beethoven's melody for "Ode to Joy"), "Roll On, Columbia" and "Washington, My Home", and later verses of "America" and "America, the Beautiful".  In an Open Window tradition, the students and teachers (and some staff) gather in the gym the day before Thanksgiving to sing them all together.

Music Updates

Kindergartners have been playing a reaction game, from the Wagogo people of Tanzania, in which they jump ("matu") into the center of the circle and back again in time with a call and response.  And today they practiced standing quietly and respectfully during the national anthem; they did very well!

First-graders are getting better at distinguishing beat from rhythm.  They have enjoyed bits of the toccata from J. S. Bach's Toccata and Fugue in d minor and will soon be learning names of some other famous Bachs.

Second-graders have heard the story of how "The Star-Spangled Banner" was written and are beginning to learn to sing it correctly.  They enjoyed a recording of the third of Brahms' Hungarian Dances, and they are learning to use half notes.

Third-graders are learning to distinguish major from minor tonality.  They're about to do a little improvising on the Orff instruments, and soon will learn to use the dotted half note.

Fourth-graders learned to play the "Hot Cross Buns" melody, a harmony for it, a bass line, and a "color" part on the Orff instruments.  We then orchestrated the song by having different instruments play the different lines; for example, we tried glockenspiels on the bass line, with the back row of instruments playing the color part, the remaining metallophones on the melody, and remaining xylophones on the harmony.

What's Happening in Music Class?

Kindergartners have been learning singing games and have just finished the story of William Tell. Now they're learning what an opera is, and we'll study Rossini's overture for his opera of the same name. After we become familiar with it, we'll see the overture and the apple-shooting on a DVD of the opera.

First-graders have begun reading quarter and eighth notes and quarter rests. They know that Bach was born in the Baroque period to a family of musicians. We're about to begin learning to recognize the sounds of piano, harpsichord, and organ--only two of which Bach ever played.

Second-graders have been reviewing the pitches A, G, and E. We are about to add F so that we can work with the "mi-re-do" sound of A-G-F. And we are about to learn the story of how the Star-Spangled Banner was written, which will help us understand the words, and then we'll learn to sing it correctly, with the melismas in the right places.

Third-graders have been performing pieces with rhythmic and melodic ostinati (short repeated patterns). They are beginning rhythmic and melodic improvisation. And they are learning "This Pretty Planet", which they will perform as a round against the fourth grade for the all-school sing-along on the day before Thanksgiving.

Fourth-graders have reviewed the treble staff and have been focusing on the timbres of the Orff instruments--glockenspiels, metallophones, and xylophones. They used the instruments to play a bit of gamelan music. And they sing Washington's state song beautifully and enthusiastically.

Recorder Classes will Begin October 5th

On Tuesday, October 5th, new recorders will be ready to distribute, and we'll have our first recorder class of this school year. Third-graders: 11:30 - 12:00. Fourth- and Fifth-graders: 12:00 - 12:30. Kids who already have their recorders at home (tenors ordered from Bill Lazar, or an older sibling's soprano or alto) should bring them to school that day. Thanks, everyone!

Recorders with Ms. Arends

I offer an optional recorder program for third, fourth, and fifth-graders. It's possible, though not very satisfying, to participate without purchasing a recorder, because each week I sanitize recorders (in my dishwasher) and keep them in my classroom so that kids who haven't brought their recorders that day will still be able to play. But a soprano recorder (for third-graders) is only $5, and an alto (for fourth) only $15. (Tenors are another story.)

I require the kids all to play on the same make of instrument, which helps with one of the biggest issues in recorder: tuning. So I collect money the first three weeks of school, then send it to Peripole in Salem, Oregon, and we begin recorder classes when the recorders arrive in October.

Classes will be held during the children's lunch recess every Tuesday. Students who faithfully attend recorder classes may play in concerts in the spring, no matter what level of proficiency they have or have not achieved. Students who twice go to recess on Tuesday instead of attending recorder class may not play in concerts, but are still welcome to come to classes and learn and play.

That's really the only rule I have: the second time you skip class, you're not in the concerts. I hope LOTS of kids will decide to try recorder this year, and I'll do my best to make it so much fun that they won't want to go to recess instead.

I'll send home details on buying a recorder
--for third -graders: Monday, Sept. 13
--for fourth-graders: Wednesday or Thursday, Sept. 15 or 16
--for fifth-graders: Tuesday, Sept. 14

Instrumental Music

Strings--Arden Rundell, parent of a Vista student, is offering a beginning strings class after school on Fridays in the music room!  Check with Ms. Johnson in the office if you are interested.

Recorders--Next week I will distribute information to interested third-, fourth-, and fifth-graders about my recorder program, and we'll order the instruments soon afterwards.

Welcome Back!

Hi!   I'm looking forward to the first day of school on the 7th.

I do hope you'll check here each week to see what your child is doing in music class.   Often information about recorders and/or choir can be found here, too.   And occasionally I recommend a concert.

I promise not to ramble and waste your time.   Thanks for reading!
Kathleen

Interesting Concert Coming Up

If you enjoy piano and/or music history, check out this FREE concert Saturday in Bellevue:
http://campaign.constantcontact.com/render?v=001AbyoPARFHBMNbCQvCu5DUwo8BOGEQ0EbNPyS3U5gxMGoHpYgYEhyDPSKvBlWaaxcb4ocD1YoCiponsBy-BJYX0GhSGo26rhdpGtJ02eBwjo%3D
I don't know just how kid-friendly it will be, but the subject matter looks excellent!

Rawson's Children Win Trophy

Last week we held "Lesson Days" in music class, during which students who take music lessons had the opportunity to perform for their classmates. Each class practiced their best audience behavior, trying to do nothing which could be distracting to the performer or to other audience members. I am pleased to announce that Ms. Rawson's First Graders won the trophy for Best Audience! This trophy will be on display in the music studio until the next Lesson Days, which will occur in January, 2011. Congratulations to the winners!

Family Chamber Music Concert (and more Marimbas)

The Seattle Chamber Music Society will have a family concert with poet Jack Prelutsky--a big favorite with kids for his goofy, startling writing--and musical accompaniment. It's called "Behold the Bold Umbrellaphant", and they're presenting it twice:
--11 am Saturday, July 17, in Nordstrom Recital Hall at Benaroya Hall, and
--7 pm Thursday, August 12, at the Overlake School in Redmond.
The August one will have free hotdogs and lemonade on the lawn at 6 pm!

Also, weather did not permit YAAMBA marimba to play at Agua Verde this week, so we're going to try again Wednesday, June 16th.

Choir Concerts, and Marimba at Agua Verde

The last choir concert for this school year will take place at 4:10 on June 16th and 17th. This concert has a theme: it seems that the braying of donkeys has been a popular sound to portray in song for a very long time!

Weather permitting, I will be playing Zimbabwean-style dance music with YAAMBA Marimba on this Wednesday, June 9th outside of Agua Verde Cafe and Paddle Club in Seattle. I understand the food is very good. We're to play from 6:30 to 8:30. I'd love to see you there--especially if you like to dance!
http://www.aguaverde.com/

Lessons Day

In June, each class will have a "lessons day". That's when those children who take lessons on an instrument (or dance) have an opportunity to show their classmates the result of their hard work. During Lessons Day, each student's most important job--no matter whether s/he performs or not--is to be an excellent audience member. This performance is just for classmates, not parents.

First and Fifth grades will have their opportunities during regular music class on Thursday, June 10th. Kindergarten, Second grade, and Third grade will have theirs on June 9th.

If your child would like to perform, she or he needs to rehearse announcing the piece, playing it, and bowing afterwards. You could help by being an audience during their rehearsal/s at home.

Pitch over Time: a matrix

Fifth-graders have been drumming, and today they began composing and playing short pieces for three drums of different pitches. I demonstrated the composition and pitch aspects of the assignment using this web address:
http://lab.andre-michelle.com/tonematrix

Several of the students asked for this address, and I'm not surprised, because it's great fun to play with. And the parameters are such that it sounds good no matter what you do!

What's Up in Music Class?

     Kindergartners are putting the finishing touches on their performances of "Sakura", "San Sereni", and "Alabama Gal".  Soon we'll be learning about the Australian Aborigine didgeridoo and doing some dances/movement activities from Shenanigans, a group from Australia.
     First Graders learned about the end of Bach's life and learned a little about the "Water Music" of another important Baroque composer, G. F. Handel.  They continue to practice reading and writing the pitches G, E, and A, as well as quarter notes and rests, and eighth notes.
     Second Graders successfully performed their "Earth Sounds" round in their Earth Day program.  An upcoming discussion about accent will lead into learning about measure lines and duple and triple meter.
     Third Graders have been working with the pitches B, A, G and E.  They've been writing beamed eighth and sixteenth notes (and a few chose to go on to write thirty-second and even sixty-fourth notes.)  Soon each will write a rhythmic composition.
     Fifth Graders have begun a unit on drumming.  After learning the "open" and "dead" strokes, they've been practicing to play them with either hand and to play them on designated beats of the measure.  The unit will culminate with small-group compositions.

Especially for Third-Graders

Third-graders have been studying the opening movement of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony. Because it's so famous, many parodies have been made of it. Here's one on YouTube in which a Japanese company sing and dance about breakfast, in Japanese:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXgJBzUv_qU

And here it is with English subtitles:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAMD5nYUi6U

Energetic World Music Concert

Overlake School is hosting a student marimba ensemble from Maru-a-Pula High School in Botswana. Overlake is the group's first stop on a West Coast tour to raise funds for their African AIDS Orphan Program. The twelve juniors and seniors will play a benefit concert on Wednesday, April 21, at 7:00 p.m. in the Fulton Performing Arts Center at Overlake. I'll be there--wouldn't miss it for anything!--and I'd LOVE to see you and your kids there, too!

Recorder Concerts

On the Early Music Guild's Discovery Concerts series is a performance of great interest to our recorder players: Vicki Boeckman and David Ohannesian will play recorders from very small to very large at 1 p.m. in Town Hall (Seattle) on Sunday, April 14th. Because it's a Discovery Concert, seniors and kids (up to age 25!!) pay only $5 admission; adults between those ages pay $10.
http://www.earlymusicguild.org/emg/series/recital_3.html

What's Up in Music Class?

Kindergartners are learning to sing "Sakura" in Japanese and English and to sing "San Sereni" in Spanish.
First-graders are adding the pitch "A" to the "G" and "E" with which they are already familiar.
Second-graders are beginning a beautiful song they will perform for Earth Day.
Third-graders have been studying Beethoven's Ninth Symphony and now are listening to Gian-Carlo Menotti's The Telephone.
Fifth-graders have been studying the blues and now will look briefly at Gershwin's Porgy and Bess before hearing The Telephone.
Mrs. Arends takes tap-dancing lessons Monday evenings, and plays Zimbabwean-style marimba music Wednesday evenings and recorder music Thursday evenings with like-minded friends.

Opera for Everyone!

We have engaged Northwest Opera In Schools, Etc. (NOISE) to come in March and perform a complete opera for OWS students in Kindergarten through Fifth grade. It's by Gian-Carlo Menotti, whose best-known work is Amahl and the Night Visitors. This opera is The Telephone. It's sung in English, is only 25 minutes long, and depicts a love triangle: Ben, Lucy, and Lucy's telephone. I've been acquainting the students with this work during our regular music classes. Kindergarten, First, and Fourth have heard the whole thing, Second has begun, and Third will begin after our midwinter break. I hope that, before the performance, every single student will be able to tell you why opera singers sing so loudly!

Lessons Day, and more African Marimba

The end of January is also the end of the first half of our school year, when I'll be saying goodbye to the fourth-graders and hello to the fifth-graders. In the second half of January, each class will have a "lessons day", on which day those children who take lessons on an instrument (or dance) have an opportunity to show their classmates the result of their hard work. This performance is just for classmates, not parents. First and Fourth grades: January 21. Kindergarten, Second grade, and Third grade: January 27. If your child would like to perform, she or he needs to rehearse announcing the piece, playing it, and bowing afterwards. You could help by being an audience during the rehearsal(s).

YAAMBA, the Zimbabwean-style marimba group I'm in, is having an album release party in Seattle on January 30th. If you're interested, leave a comment and I'll get back to you.