Music Exploration

Kindergarten and 1st grade students have been doing a fantastic job working on developing, understanding, demonstrating and singing steady beat.  They have been learning how to work with a metronome to maintain a steady beat and have been able to demonstrate this by marching, clapping, jumping, stomping, tapping and singing partner songs.  We will  continue to develop this important fundamamental musical foundation with games and songs. 
Students in 2nd grade-4th grade have been diligently exploring and working on understanding how to read beat icons, demonstrate rhythmic length by moving their bodies and saying words with the same syllable length as the beat icon. Students have been working in cooperative learning groups using gigantic rhythm flash cards and arranging them various ways to create their own arrangement.  Students demonstrate their arrangement first with body percussion and then transfer the rhythm on hand held classroom percussion instruments.  This application of rhythm helps students identify, understand, apply and demonstrate their knowledge of rhythm.  So far students have learned the rhythms of whole, half, quarter, eighth, triplet and 16th notes.  Students will continue this project and write out their own rhythmic creation to be performed in class.

5th grade students have been working on their recorder unit from last year since students who were in ILP weren't able to fully participate.  Students have been working on mastering proper hand position, note fingerings, articulation, and breath support.  They currently have mastered the notes B, A, and G and will shortly be learning notes C and D.  Each week in class students review how to read rhythm, notes, apply correct fingerings to notes and play the songs learned.  They work in cooperative groups to help each other and practice and give mini group performances at the end of class. 

Middle School Choir has been doing a fantastic job learning their vocal sol feg warm ups and developing a wonderful ensemble sound.  They are a group of young ladies who are full of enthusiasm, energy and work hard every class.  They are developing their note and rhythm reading abilities and applying these skills to pieces of music learned in class.  In addition to this they are beginning to work on developing 2 part harmony and

Middle School beginning band is in full swing and students have been doing a wonderful job working hard to learn how to read and play their first 5 notes of concert Bb major scale.  This past week they have done a terrific job learning how to play together and are making huge strides in developing their beginnin band sound.  They will continue to work on finger dexterity and coordination to develop stronger technique and learn proper ensemble skills such as watching the conductor, playing together within their section and note reading.

Advanced band has been continuing their growth by working on concert Bb, F, Eb, and now Ab major scales.  They have been working on developing a mature sound with Chorale exercises and developing both interdependence and independence with songs such as America The Beautiful.  Advanced band did a fantastic job learning 3 songs in 5 rehearsals for our MEAP assembly and they did a great job performing.  Students in this ensemble have the opportunity to attend Solo and Ensemble February 1st at Livonia Franklin High School.  Students who attend will prepare a piece, perform for an adjudicator and receive a rating.  Students who receive a 1 or 2 will be awarded a medal.