Composer Club - Pytor Tchaikovsky

Check it out!  Go to this link and learn so much about our famous composer Tchaikovsky!
http://www.classicsforkids.com/shows/thisweek.asp

You'll enjoy learning that he wrote some amazing music, like the songs you've heard in the ballet The Nutcracker.  Here's some fun videos you'll enjoy watching too:
Sugar Plum Fairy--
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vH9vYiqDX5o

the Russian Dance (Trepak)---
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiiuN9eAy9Y

the Chinese Dance---
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3kdY2vMO0w



The entire ballet--
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atUsFzvDDF0 

On the video of the  Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy,  do you know what kind of instrument is playing the melody?  Let's find out in music class!

1st Grade Grandparents Song

Hello First Graders!
I know that you need to practice this song for our "Grandparents Day" coming up, so I thought I'd record you singing it.  Here's the Yellow & Green color groups singing....sing along.

http://primaryschool.shutterfly.com/pictures/9

http://primaryschool.shutterfly.com/pictures/8

Trip to the Opera

We had a wonderful time going to see Daughter of the Regiment by composer Donezetti.  We traveled along with the students from Mrs. LeDoux's 6th grade choir.  Here's some interviews from our adventure:

Skip to My Lou on the Xylophones

1st grade parents, this is a challenge since we actually change notes (from F to C) in a rhythmic pattern on this song.  It's quite complex for our amazing first graders....woohoo kiddos!

Visit from Holland Hall alumn Barron Ryan!

Here's a great video of the kids in 3rd grade last spring enjoying some valuable musical time with the great pianist and musician Barron Ryan.

Composer Club for October - Gustav Holst

Here's some fun videos from our composer Gustav Holst.  He wrote a lot of music, but some of this most famous pieces are songs that he wrote because he was inspired by OUTER SPACE.  The Planets are so great to listen to:

3rd Graders - here's Carol of the Dance

This is such an exciting song.  Listen and sing along as we learn this piece together:

Agnus Dei (Little Lamb) 3rd

Hi 3rd graders,
Here's a beautiful recording of one of the songs we're going to sing for our Christmas Program---
Go to minute 3:00 on the video:

 

I See the Moon - 2nd graders!

Yes, thanks to Julian for wanting more and more information, I decided to re-check the internet for a clip of this song.  And, there it was....from the OAKE National Honor Choir from 2010 in Dallas.  I helped 5 students from Holland Hall to be accepted into this prestigious choir.  Here they are singing I See the Moon by Douglas Beam:

3rd Graders are going to the Opera!!!!

The Daughter of the Regiment --

Oct. 16 will be here before you know it.  In the meantime, we're gearing up to learn all about the story, opera as an art form, and terms and etiquette concerning attending an opera.  Wow, I teach some amazing kids!
Here's some clips that you might want to listen to from the San Francisco opera.  Remember, Marie is the tomboy girl that was raised by the band of soldiers.  Her aunt attempts to refine her so that she can be a proper lady for marriage.  Her aunt wants her to marry royalty - the Duke.  But Marie wants to marry Tonio, the young man who saved her and loved her before she was educated.  
Listen for the high C's that the tenor (Tonio) sings.  Wow, now that's HIGH!

 

Harder than a puzzle!

Kindergartners were challenged to figure out how to build a xylophone when the keys have fallen out.  The discovered that music has a small alphabet:  A-B-C-D-E-F-G.  Ask your student if the smaller keys are higher or lower than the others.   Hmm.

BACK TO SCHOOL!

I'm so happy to see all of our wonderful students here at the Primary School again!
Here's a bit of news:

• Composer Club - 2nd & 3rd graders look for a hand-out about this home-fun learning project.  The composer of this month is John Williams.  

• 3rd graders will travel to the opera to see Donezetti's Daughter of the Regiment on Oct. 16th during the school day.  

• SEPTEMBER 14th is Primary School at the Football Game - get your Red & White Spirit wear and look for your student to sing a Patriotic Medley!  More information to come!

Kindergarteners PLAY the story of "Thorn Rosa"

Here's the Red Color Group enjoying "make believe" with music:

Kindergartners PLAY with musical stories

Here's the Kindergarten Blue Color group singing and playing to "Thorn Rosa"....

OKLAHOMA CELEBRATIONS!

We sure had a fun time Third graders last week!  We performed Woody Guthrie's "This Land is Your Land" and "Oklahoma Hills" with Mrs. Alabassi.
Then, we sang a terrific medley from the musical "Oklahoma!"
Here's the link for viewing some of the songs from the movie....

SHARING PROGRAMS!

Hello PS Families -
Please e-mail me at lswisher@hollandhall.org if you want a copy of the April Music/Art Sharing Program.  Some wonderful parents volunteered to record the programs and I'm happy to make a copy for you to keep.


GREAT JOB KIDS ON A TERRIFIC PROGRAM FOR YOUR FAMILIES!

RHYTHMS for FUN!!!!

Our Primary School Kindergarteners & 1st graders have been practicing some fun rhythms.

Here's some for our Kindergarten friends:



Here's some rhythms for my First grade friends: