Second Grade Week 10 -- Our Show

Here is a video from our dress rehearsal on Thursday afternoon. Both that performance and the one at Concert in the Park were wonderful. Congratulations, 2nd grade and enjoy your drums.

Concert in the Park -- "Zuni Song"

I have to admit, this one is my favorite.

Concert in the Park -- "The Tailor and the Mouse"

Concert in the Park III -- "Alleluia"

Here's the first of three short videos from last night's Concert in the Park. I'm very proud of the job these kids did. Well done ensemble cats, and special thanks to Hannah Limb, Julie Yoon and Akiko Morrison for contributing to our best Concert in the Park yet!

Kindergarten Week 10 -- Musical Notation

For our final week of Kinder music we began by summarizing all that had learned about what music is and how it works, and then spent a little time on one aspect we had note discussed -- notation. The children learned how we use a series of symbols that tell musicians what to do, just like the alphabet tells us how to read. And we used these new found skills to perform "The Blue Danube" arranged for kazoo (actually me on recorder) shaker and midgeridoo.

Best of all the kids got to take the instruments they made home. Parents -- my apologies.

2nd Grade Week 9 -- Geetting ready for our performance

"Day hang ming gook!" -- apparently this is a chant used at every Korean sporting event. This kids all know it, but I did not, so for a change I had them teach me. The results were so good we're going to use in next week's drum circle. One again, the date of that performance in June 11.

Parents -- I have gotten back a number of permission forms, but I have more kids saying they want to be in the show. Be sure and sign your child's permission form and return it. The teachers will have extra forms in case yours has gone missing. I hope many of the kids can take part.

Kindergarten Week 9 -- music helps tell a story

This week in music the students were asked to synthesize what they have learned about music sound and how it can be manipulated. To that end we watched "Corny Concerto" the hilarious Warner Brothers send up of "Fantansia" from 1941. We talked about how music was used to tell the story, then concocted a story of our own which we set to music. It was great fun!

No homework this week -- I look forward to reading your circle maps