Sunday, October 30, 2011

End of October update!

So much has been going on in our music room lately!

Grade 4, 5, & 6
Grade 4, 5, and 6 students have been working very hard on their composition projects. Students first wrote a series of rhythms (Grade 4: 8 measures; Grade 5: 12 measures; Grade 6: 16 measures). Then, they practiced, practiced, practiced their composed rhythms until they knew them inside and out!! Then, they began to experiment with pitch. Students are currently working on finalizing their melodies, and will soon begin to notate their composition on staff paper for future publishing on music notation software. I am so excited to hear the final products - the students have been very focused and motivated as they have been working on their compositions!
Here are a few pictures of some Parkside student composers hard at work! 










Grades K, 1, 2, and 3
Primary students have been enjoying some Thanksgiving and Halloween-themed activities and songs that also help us to practice our musical elements! Halloween poetry and songs are especially fun because we can use a variety of instruments to add spooky and silly sound effects!

Coming Up...
Now that November is almost here, we will soon begin working on songs for our Christmas concert in December. Can you believe that it is already that time again? Students will bring home lyric sheets in the coming weeks so that they can practice their songs and memorize their words at home.

December will also bring the beginning of auditions for our spring musical, "101 Dalmatians." Stay tuned for more information!!!