November/December Music Notes

November and December have been busy months in our music classes! Fifth grade students showed off their individual talents at the annual Lower School Coffee House on Friday night, November 4 and students Beginner through Fifth Grade performed during our Grandparents and Special Friends Day presentations on November 22. Pictures and video are posted on this blog. Our composer of the month for November was George Gershwin featuring his “Rhapsody in Blue.” For December I chose to feature the Romantic composer Peter Tchaikovsky. We explored the Nutcracker Ballet music in addition to his 1812 Overture and symphonies. Beginner and Pre-K students continue to explore percussion instruments including the maracas, egg shakers, tambourines, and jingle bells. They reviewed various instruments of the orchestra in the book “Musical Max.” In December we learned the winter songs “Jingle Bells” and “Frosty the Snowman.”  Other favorite songs are “Down By the Bay” and “Something in My Shoe.” Kindergarten students are continuing to match pitch and review patterns with the rhythm sticks using quarter notes (tah), eighth notes (ti ti), half notes (tah-ah) and rests (sh). Students K-5 have enjoyed singing winter and holiday songs throughout December. At the Lower School gathering on December 15 the Lower School Chorus will present “Bring on the Snow” and lead “Jingle Bells”, “Jingle Bell Rock”, and “Let it Snow”. Fourth and fifth grade students continue to discuss the Lower School Musical "Willy Wonka, Jr." which will be performed at the end of April. Permission slips are due by December 20. Fifth grade auditions will be January 5th and 10th; rehearsals begin in January. Chorus students are preparing for their winter concert on January 12.  Happy Holidays, enjoy the winter break!  

Upcoming events: Thursday, January 12  Lower School Winter Concert 6pm Panther Hall.