May 25th -29th (Music Week 32)

  UPCOMING DATES

Performing Arts Club: Thursday, June 4th

EMBRACE MUSIC WHILE SWIRLING AROUND IN YOUR LIVES WITH KIDS:

Who can live without it? I ask in all honesty, what would life be? Without a song or a dance what are we?

Sing and dance. I find that movement is a better term to use with kids as it seems like a more universal and achievable objective. Combine singing and movement, especially when you want to find your voice. I encourage this with kids all of the time because movement helps to stimulate and activate your body to produce better sound. Even classical singers employ movement exercises to activate everything before singing - especially important in this style because during a performance, the singer needs to remember and embody the freedom and joy of movement while maintaining a posture of stillness. But this is elementary music - we are not performing in a recital format so singing while experiencing the freedom and joy of movement is totally fine!

I recommend ABBA or any songs from the Mamma Mia set list. I recently saw this show in Edmonton and it was a really fun experience. I've been to many musicals and it was the first time ever that I was part of an audience that frequently sang along with the performers - Super Trouper really got the people next to me going. The encore bows turned into a lengthy EVERYBODY-STANDING-AND-SINGING dance party.

LEARNING INTENTION LEGEND (Blue = Kindergarten, Green = 1 / 2, Purple = 3 / 4, Red = 5 / 6, Pink = ALP) 

-I can play steady beat to accompany singing.

-I can use movement to show musical form.

Kindergarten students participated in a variety of movement and playing activities this week. We used the Rain, Rain song to build understanding of same and different phrases. The students used movement as well as small percussion instruments to experience musical contrast.  

-I can sing using a range of dynamics from soft to loud and loud to soft. 

-I can use movement to represent changes in dynamics.

Grade 1/2 classes continued with singing games to use the range of dynamics in their voices this week. We used scarves to show contrasting dynamics in Offenbach's Can Can. Louder dynamics seem to be associated with scarf movement happening faster. Similarly, when the music is quieter, the creative movement is slower. I think I'll be challenging people to make slow movement during the forte / loud sections and fast movement for the piano / soft sections next week. 

There continue to be requests for the Snack Time album. So we explored some expressive components of this song through movement as well:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhdmJu8Lu-M

-I can play melodic patterns using alternating mallet technique.

-I can improvise melodic patterns on an A minor pentatonic scale. 

Students continued work on creating a solo that borrowed structural elements from the A section of our grade 3/4 created song. We alternated between playing the familiar Tidal Wave melody (A section) and hearing solos around our instrument sharing circle with students playing 16 beats of creative melody beginning and ending on the note 'A'. I would like the students to experience music in this form because it is prevalent in lots of music. 

While creating solos, students were asked to attend to the following criteria: My melody begins and ends on the note 'A' (because it is a song in 'A' minor); my melody borrows something from the A section melody (rhythmic component or melodic sequence).

-I can use movement to represent musical form.

-I can sing as part of a group; I can listen to play with appropriate expression (tempo and dynamics) to create effective group sound. 

Grade 5 / 6 students participated in final preparations for their Trolls show at the Volunteer Tea this week. Wednesday was group run through and a dress rehearsal for our school audience and then Thursday was for our volunteers. All students took on the responsibility of contributing to something greater than themselves (just like volunteers) through these performances of our collective work. Nothing makes me happier than watching people, especially kids, do what they can with maximum effort and working to their potential - there were so many beautiful examples of this happening all week. 

My hope is that these kids have found a little bit of confidence that they didn't know was inside of them before now; that as they embark on new challenges, they think of all of the things that they have done (including a musical performance) and realize that they have the capacity to achieve excellence. Music is a microcosm for all things - there is nothing better than being present in the midst of making it happen and appreciating everything that unfolds in real time. And then having positive memories to carry after it is all over. 

-I can move to music through jumping, marching, hopping, bouncing. 

-I can differentiate speaking from singing voices.

ALP students wowed me with their collective tonal memory this week. Many of the kids are now demonstrating highly intuitive pitch awareness and match phrases that I sing to them with resounding accuracy. More Can You Copy Me type songs for these kids in coming weeks - I am excited to further explore the extent of what they can sing.

Best wishes for a good week!

Mrs. M.

                                




















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