Oct. 28/29

It was a Halloween filled week with a tiny bit of Remembrance Day material sneaking in!

Kindergarten

• Began to learn Peace Like a River
• Played spooky singing games with the parachute

Grade 1/2

Peace Pod - began learning In Flanders Fields.  There is a link in an earlier post for you to practice

We also had some time to play a Halloween singing game with the parachute

Harmony Pod - began learning Peace Like a River and we played Halloween parachute games

Grade 3/4

• Learned Peace Like a River
• Played a variety of Halloween singing and beat keeping games

Choir Sneak Peak at new song!!!

Here is the next song we are going to learn.  There is a potential solo or two in this song. Enjoy.

Hoofin' It

Peace Pod Remembrance Day Song

Here is the music for Flanders Fields.  Please make sure to be listening to it at least.  There is many versions of the song.  This is the closest I could find to our version.  We are doing a slightly different chorus but other than that it is the same.  The one lyric change is they sing "the dead were loved" we sing "loved and were loved".

Thanks!

Flanders Fields 

Oct. 21/22

Kindergarten

We began Halloween songs!!!

• playing cooperative music games
• making up parts of the song
• brainstorming ideas
• moving like our favorite Halloween costumes

Grade One and Two

Harmony Pod - We began our Halloween compositions, using spooky symbols to represent 

                       music notes, we created our own 8 beat rhythmic phrase.

Peace Pod - Played Halloween games and sang songs

    *Next week we will be beginning our Remembrance Day songs for our Peace Assembly.

Grade Three and Four

Kindness Pod - Put the finishing touches on the song Brave for our Peace Assembly on Friday.  (It's gonna be good!!!)

Joy - Played Halloween games!!

Choir Oct. 22

We missed you today Joy Pod!! Don't worry, we didn't go on too far without you.  

Today we reviewed North Pole Musical, focusing on the ending.
  
We learned all of The Heart of Christmas. Keep in mind that the beginning is 2 solos and a small group singing.

We began the next part of Nutcracker but we didn't get very far so we will redo this one next week.  

You can find the link to these three songs on the post below that says Choir Oct. 15.  

Thank you to everyone who has been practicing, it is very helpful and shows!! 

Costumes!!

We talked a little about costumes but I said we would talk more lately.  The singers can wear what they would like however I would love it if they looked nice.  They don't have to be fancy, just no sweatpants or pj's please.  Some students go all out fancy and that is fine as well.  If you want to add on some Christmas add ons please do. 

Students who have asked for speaking parts... you will have a character, for example.. snowman 1.  You do not have to dress like a snowman that is just your character for this scene.  

Solos and Speaking Parts

You will receive your speaking parts after solo auditions are finished and parts are assigned.  I appreciate your patience, there is a lot of you and I want to make sure everyone has something!

Any questions, please email me jabaine@cbe.ab.ca

Oct. 15th

I hope everyone had a fabulous long weekend and Thanksgiving!! I ate lots of Turkey and enjoyed some family time in Banff!!

Kindergarten

• Worked on different ways to show the beat on our bodies
• Played the hand drums and rhythm sticks
• Began some Halloween themed songs and movements
• Played a game with the song London Bridges

Grade 1/2

• Spoke about dynamics and used piano (quiet) and forte (loud) when saying a rhyme
• Had student volunteers to lead the class in call and response
• Listened to the Marriage of Figaro
• read a story of a crazy chef and did actions that go to this music
• Used Drums, Bells, Tambourines and Egg Shakers to play along to the music

Grade 3/4

• Kindness Pod really is starting to pull their peace assembly together.  We have so many elements going into one song
• Joy Pod continued to work on their compositions. Today they added instruments to their compositions.  We still need some practice but we are going to take a small break for some Halloween songs and games!

Choir Oct. 15th

I can't believe how much we have accomplished in such a short time.  We have learned all of North Pole Musical (Which is the opener and the closer!!), we have learned the first 3 songs of the Nutcracker Megamix, and we started The Heart of Christmas.  The entire first verse of the Heart of Christmas is going to be solos and small group singing.  SEE BELOW FOR INFO ABOUT THIS!!
We come in on the first chorus and then sing the rest of the song.

Here are the song links again...

North Pole Musical

Nutcracker Megamix

The Heart of Christmas


IMPORTANT SOLO INFORMATION

As we talked about today, solo auditions will be held on Oct. 8th at some point during the morning.  I will be calling all of those interested to the music room and listening to everyone sing the beginning verse of The Heart of Christmas.  Please practice the beginning of the Heart of Christmas so that you know it for auditions.  ***You can have a solo part or an acting part, you will not be considered for both**. Please leave me a comment or email me is you have any questions, jabaine@cbe.ab.ca

Oct. 7th/8th

Thanksgiving!!!

This week we focused on Thanksgiving. 

Kindergarten

Our focus was on feeling fast and slow beat.  

• Sang about eating Turkey! The song went slower the more turkey we ate...until we fell asleep.
• Listened to Air and Badinerie both by Bach
• moved how the music made us feel
• decided which piece was fast and which was slow
• tried to find the beat
• used beat to speed our singing up or slow it down
• played the hand drum to show beat

Grade 1/2

Our focus this week was solo singing and pitch matching

• Played Five Fat Turkeys
• identified different Timbre's of voices
• sang solo and matched pitch
• played a fun guessing game

Grade 3/4 

Continued working on our compositions.  Last week they decided the form of their song, this week they added dynamics (volume) to their pieces.  They could choose from:     ff (fortissimo)

                        f (forte)

                       mf (mezzo forte)

                       mp (mezzo piano)

                       p (piano)

                      pp (pianissimo) 

                        

Choir Oct. 8th

AMAZING JOB EVERYONE! Have I told you how much I love choir! It's one of my favorite things to do. The sound we make together is incredible. Nothing compares.

Today in choir we learned the rest of North Pole Musical!!  We also learned the second song of the Nutcracker Remix! You can find the link for both of these if you scroll down to the post that says Choir, Oct. 1.

Please keep practicing these songs!!

Yesterday and today I asked all the classes who would like speaking parts and who would like solo/small group singing opportunities.  If you were not here today or you missed for some reason please let me know!!

Thanks everyone. You're hard work is appreciated and already paying off.

Sept. 30/Oct. 1

Peace Assembly - Friday Oct. 4th 11:00 a.m. is brought to you by HARMONY pod!!

Kindergarten

• we focused this week on high/low sounds (pitch)
• used our bodies as a scale for the notes
• played the Boomwhackers  
• played listening action games

Grade 1/2

• Harmony Pod has been hard at work learning Peace songs
• Peace Pod - working on our compositions
• sharing in partners, small groups and the large group!! 

Grade 3/4

• Kindness began working on their peace assembly.  Here is the link to the song Brave by Sara Bareilles
• Joy Pod - worked on their compositions adding their to two others
• looked at form and decided what the form of their song would be and how many times they would repeat each part

Choir Oct. 1

WOW!!

I can't even begin to explain how excited I am.  We got started today with a ton of energy and incredible voices.  These kids are amazing!

I am still trying to figure out the best sing to eat ratio for time.  Please know that I told the kids today to eat quickly without chocking (of course!) and that if I started and they were still eating to please make sure that they were not singing with food in their mouths but to finish eating and then join in.  

Helping in the music room is Mrs. Danchuk and Mrs. Mask.  Hurray!!!

Today we learned the first verse and chorus of North Pole Musical as well as the first song of the Nutcracker Megamix (My favorite song of the show!!) I asked the kids to try to sing through the songs twice before next choir.  If they are able to do more, GREAT!!

Here are the links for the songs

North Pole Musical

Nutcracker Megamix

FYI
The students were asking if there would be speaking parts - YES!

In a few weeks I will ask who is interested in a speaking line (everyone who wants a line will get a line although some may be in a small group of speakers)

Will there be solos? - YES! That is the plan

In a few weeks I will be asking who is interested in solos, if you have a solo or small group singing part you will not also have a speaking line unless the line goes with the solo.  I will hold solo auditions where I ask the students to prepare a little bit of singing and come meet me at a lunch hour to sing for me and then I will put them in a part. 

If you sign up for these parts it is up to you to practice them at home!!! Myself and Mrs. McLean will work at school with you but you need to know them. 

Last but not least
There was a little confusing with a couple of students as their name wasn't on a list for lunchroom to know they were coming to choir.  I apologize, I am not sure how that happened.  It has been fixed I believe!! Thanks for your understanding.