Music Notes
April 2014
Hey, all of you hip cats!
There will be blog updates in the coming week, since
April is Jazz Appreciation Month!
I’d also like to draw your attention to the
post-spring break blog post on the MusicalInstrument Museum in Phoenix, Arizona. If you’re ever in that area, I
highly recommend it! I took about 100 pictures while I was at the museum and
uploaded them onto the blog with captions. It was a super educational
experience that I can’t wait to repeat!
We just began our preparations for the spring concert, which will be on
Monday, May 19. There will be two performances, at 12:30 pm and 2:30 pm. All grades, K-5, will be performing. You’ll hear
singing, recorders, and percussion instruments, and you’ll learn about rhythms.
We can’t wait to share our learning with you!
As
a reminder, whenever your child goes to any concert (band, choir, etc.) outside
of the school day, if s/he brings back a program, s/he will receive a DRUM
card. This is not required,
but it’s a great way to explore musical experiences. I encourage everyone to
explore the musical performances in the area. As a matter of fact, this time of
year is concert season, round 2! Here’s a list of some of the upcoming concerts
in the Pulaski area that may interest your family (free unless otherwise noted):
As for what we’ve been doing in the Lannoye music
room, here’s your monthly glance by grade:
The kindergarteners
have moved on to more difficult Rhythm Band pieces, and must pay closer
attention while following the charts. They have also become quite skilled at
showing the differences between high/low, fast/slow, loud/soft, and short/long,
as well as using their eyes and/or ears to identify classroom instruments.
The 1st
graders have continued to practice their solfege skills with so, mi,
and la. They know all about the music
staff – ask them about 5 lines and 4 spaces! We’ve also been using our floor
staff to practice repeated tones, steps, and skips.
The 2nd graders now know a
pentatonic scale’s worth of solfege pitches! They added do and re to their
solfege knowledge and have played a couple different games with songs they've learned using those pitches (in addition to so,
mi, and la).
The 3rd graders know the
extended pentatonic scale, using low so,
low la, and high do, in addition to the do,
re, mi, so, and la that they already knew. They can
improvise on xylophones using only the extended pentatonic scale. They have
also practiced discriminating between time signatures (2/4, 3/4, and 4/4) both
visually and aurally.
The 4th graders know five notes
on recorder now – G, A, B, C, and D. We’re currently working on playing in two
parts, and their next playing test will be in partners, playing a two-part
round. The students also learned the dotted quarter/eighth note rhythm pattern
(tom-ti), and have practiced it using the call and response song “Lil Liza
Jane.”
The 5th graders added four new
notes to their recorder knowledge – low C, low D, low E, and F#. We’re still in
the process of learning about sharps, flats, and naturals, and how they affect
our key signatures. Before the school year ends, we will learn F natural and
Bb, and the students will play 3-part recorder songs.
There is also a
group of approximately 50 4th
and 5th graders who just started a bucket drumming ensemble
during recess. Our first rehearsal was on Monday, and we had a good time
jamming! We’re preparing a piece for the spring concert and can’t wait to share
our grooves with you.
Happy spring!
Ms. Corinne Galligan
(920) 822-0433
cmgalligan@pulaskischools.org
lannoyemusic.blogspot.com
(920) 822-0433
cmgalligan@pulaskischools.org
lannoyemusic.blogspot.com
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