Recorder Ensemble - "Air" (2nd part)

One more recorder cats -- here's what we'll be learning next time. Ypu can start working on it or try playing part 1 -- which you already know -- against it.

Recorder Ensemble - last 2 measures of "Air"

Here's another tricky part -- the final two measures of the first part of "Air." Again. practice playing along with this slowed down version.

Recorder Ensemble - tricky part of "Air"

Recorder Cats -- one of the more useful ways to practice is to focus on the parts that give you trouble a little more than the parts you play well.

Here is one of those parts from "Air" -- the ascending scale beginning in measure 5 that seems to be giving people some trouble in rehearsal. Take a few minutes to practice along with this slowed down recording. I think it will improve your sound a lot.

First Grade Week 6 -- Piano & using music to illustrate stories

This week is a special auditorium session first graders learned about how a piano works.  Among other piano facts they learned that a piano is an idiophone and therefore has more in common with cymbals or a xylophone that a guitar.

The second half of the class was spent exploring the ability of music to make mental pictures and dramatize stories.  Could there be a first grade performance down the road related to this knowledge.  Stayed tuned!

Homework -- complete piano worksheet.

Another compositional moment from fifth grade

Fifth Grade Week 5 -- Composing a B section

After a short week (music class was last Friday) the fifth graders resumed their normal schedule this week.  The entire class was devoted to composing "B" sections to the piece we started learning last week.  The students worked in small groups to devise music around some of their class room rules.  Although many of the pieces remained works in progress, it was an excellent start.

One More for Fifth Grade -- "Do Unto Others"

Fifth Graders -- here's a recording of the main melody for do unto others. Give it a listen -- we are going to be spending a lot of time with it next week.

Fifth Grade -- Audio Sample 4

Fifth Grade -- Audio Sample 3

Fifth grade -- Audio Sample 2

Do the same with samples 2, 3 and 4. Find the notation that most closely matches what you hear.

Fifth Grade - Audio Sample 1

Listen to this sample and then check the notation on your worksheet. Put a 1 next to the melody pattern that matches what you hear.

Fifth Grade Week 4 -- learning about melody

First Graders weren't the only ones dancing this week.  Fifth Graders, who returned to music after a two week absence, began their class with a rhythm counting/movement exercise set to Hungarian Dance #5 by Brahms.

Afterwards we began to discuss different qualities of melody -- how it follows the rhythm, how it ascends and descends, and how it resolves.  We also began a composition project on the Orff instruments that should take up next weeks class as well.

Homework -- complete the worksheet using the audio samples posted above.  And don't forget to come to class next Tuesday with some rules we can turn into interesting melody patterns.

First Grade Week 5 -- Chordophones and a Dance Tribute to Spring

This week's first grade class began with a Russian dance celebrating the spring, which seemed appropriate given the improvement in the weather later in the week.

We then moved on to a demonstration of chordophones -- instruments with strings.  The kids had a great time trying out the different chordophones, particularly the Hawaiian guitar.

Homework -- Complete Chordophone worksheet.

Orff and Recorder Ensemble -- We have a Date for Our Concert

Ensemble cats -- I wanted to let you know that we have a date for our next concert!  It is Friday, March 27 -- a Friday.  The show time will be 5:30.

We will talk more about the show in the coming weeks but I wanted to let you (and let your parents know) the date.

Recorder Ensemble - "Air" (B part)

Recorder cats -- since the second 8 measures of "Air" are so similar to the first 8, I'll move right along to the B part. this is the part we worked on in class.

Listen to the recording a few times and then try to play along with the metronome.

Orff Ensemble -- Our New Song

Terrific practice this week Orff cats!

Here's a recording of the piece we started this week. It is also by Gunild Keetman.  Special thanks to Orff Ensemble alum Victoria Lawton for the assist on alto xylophone.

Listen to melody and see how it fits with the repeating rhythm pattern or ostinato on the xylophone. This is what we'll be working on the next couple of weeks.

One more for recorders -- Trill B to A

For those of you who want to work on your trilling, here's a little exercise for you

Recorder Ensemble - "Air" (first 8 measures)

Recorder Cats -- here's the first 8 measures of our new piece, slowed down so you can practice it.

If you want to here the complete piece with all three parts you can click on "Air" - Parts I. II & III which I posted last week.

A couple of more pictures from First Grade this week

First Grade Week 4 -- Imitation and the Orff Instruments

This week in first grade classes the students talked about imitation and how essential it is to learning music.

We began with a fun imitation song -- "The Cuckoo Comes in April" -- in which the students got to improvise cuckoo songs on the aerophones they painted last week.

Then after some review about pitch and vibration we moved over to the Orff Instruments (see picture above).  For those who may have not seen them before, these are the wonderful xylophones and metalophones Friends of Third purchased for the school last year.  As the first graders discovered, learning how make music on them is all about imitation.

Air Part I, II & III

Here's what "Air" sounds like with all three parts.

Recorder Ensemble -- "Air"

Recorder Ensemble Cats -- here's a recording of the top part of "Air," the new piece I gave you this week. I want you to listen to it a few times before practice on Wednesday.

Pictures from Thursday's Jazz Concert

First Grade Week 3 -- Aerophones and pitch

This week the First Graders learned about aerophones -- instruments that make music with a vibrating column of air.  Clarinets, trumpets, flutes and recorders are all in the aerophone family.  To give the students a more direct understanding of how aerophones, every student got a slide whistle, which they painted this week.  Next week we'll be using them as part of our warm up.

As an added bonus the Los Angeles Jazz Society and LAUSD provided a jazz concert in the auditorium (see pictures above).  Many thanks to Mrs. Oh and Mrs. Hutchinson for setting things up.  All in all it was very musical day!

Homework -- complete aerophone worksheet

"Keetman Canon/Kung Fu Fightin'?"

This was recorded at this morning's Orff ensemble rehearsal. Orff mixed with the Carl Douglas classic "Kung Fu Fightin'?" Who'd have thunk it -- anyway the kids make it work.

Check it!...

5th Grade Week 1 worksheet - samples 5-8

Here are the samples for questions 5-8. Remember - use that pause button if you have to.

5th Grade Week 1 worksheet - samples 1-4

5th graders -- here once again are the audio clips for questions 1-4 in part 2 of your work sheet. To Listen click on the play button.

Remember you can play them as many times as you need to and pause them if necessary. And make sure you check your work!

5th Grade Week 3 -- developing rhythm using notation

This week in fifth grade we developed our first pieces of original music with notation patterns the students developed on their own using last week's puzzle box.  Here's a couple of examples.  Can you clap out the rhythms that have been notated?

We also made some recording which I will be listening to later today, which I will be posting depending on how they turn out.  In the meantime I have reposted the audio for this weeks make up assignment.

Homework -- for those of you who need to, please complete part two of the worksheet from the first week.  The audio tracks are posted above.