Wish I would have been there now that I've got it down by memory! There are over 100 voices here. You can tell by the poppies that it is Canada! Any CPO chorus members want to hit Chinook?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXh7JR9oKVE&feature=aso
Monday, November 22, 2010
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Calgary Bach Festival Society Concert
There's a great concert tomorrow afternoon at St. Mary's Cathedral. A Venetian Baroque Christmas, conducted by Terry Edwards. Check it out at 3:00.
Friday, November 19, 2010
Teaching while sick! How do you cope?
What a week. I was so sick, but not sick enough to miss a day teaching. Actually, I did go home early on Tuesday, I had absolutely no voice left, and my throat was burning. Too much to do to get ready for report cards and the Christmas concert, which for us comes early on Dec. 9th. I am still introducing music. It's going to be tight, but we'll pull it off. We have an awesome school with an awesome staff.
How do I cope? I come home, and have a nice, warm mug of green tea and try to get in a hot bath, and an early bedtime. It's hard though, with all those songs running through your head. It seems I'm always practicing, or figuring out how to make something better.
How do you get through it all? I'm pretty proud of grade two today. We are staging the Friendly Beasts, and today we worked on their singing voice. To get the beginning pitch without piano, I had them first think, breathe, and then sing. Works almost every time! They will be in five groups, donkeys, cows, sheep, doves and camels. Each group will sing a verse, with them all singing the final verse. They will look lovely with their animal ears, and tshirts made to represent each animal. Hopefully, they will sound as good as they look. I'm also proud of grade four, my class. They are doing a song from Radio J-O-Y called Mooove, Baaaaack, which is a jazz piece done from the perspective of the cows, sheep, and Mary's donkey. One of the cows is going to be playing the boom, chick a boom, chick a boom on the suspended cymbal. Great song if you're still looking for something for that age. We practiced our jazz walk throughout the hallways of the school, fitting in DPA while we were at it. Talk about integration!
Huge thank yous today to Laurel and Val, who helped me by giving me time today.
How do I cope? I come home, and have a nice, warm mug of green tea and try to get in a hot bath, and an early bedtime. It's hard though, with all those songs running through your head. It seems I'm always practicing, or figuring out how to make something better.
How do you get through it all? I'm pretty proud of grade two today. We are staging the Friendly Beasts, and today we worked on their singing voice. To get the beginning pitch without piano, I had them first think, breathe, and then sing. Works almost every time! They will be in five groups, donkeys, cows, sheep, doves and camels. Each group will sing a verse, with them all singing the final verse. They will look lovely with their animal ears, and tshirts made to represent each animal. Hopefully, they will sound as good as they look. I'm also proud of grade four, my class. They are doing a song from Radio J-O-Y called Mooove, Baaaaack, which is a jazz piece done from the perspective of the cows, sheep, and Mary's donkey. One of the cows is going to be playing the boom, chick a boom, chick a boom on the suspended cymbal. Great song if you're still looking for something for that age. We practiced our jazz walk throughout the hallways of the school, fitting in DPA while we were at it. Talk about integration!
Huge thank yous today to Laurel and Val, who helped me by giving me time today.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Three Left Feet Dance Troupe
We had a dance group come to our school for a show today. They are called Three Left Feet, and did a 45 minute high energy show, complete with teacher and student participation.. Really cool was the use of African dance and drumming, Polynesian Poi ( is that how you spell it), and STILTS! If you're looking for a show, give them a call.
Allara GooliaffArtistic Director
mailto:info@threeleftfeet.ca?subject=Web Site Inquiry
Suite 142, 132-250 Shawville Blvd. SE
Calgary AB T2Y 2Z7
tel. (403) 256-6006
fax: (403) 313-9222
mailto:info@threeleftfeet.ca?subject=Web Site Inquiry
Suite 142, 132-250 Shawville Blvd. SE
Calgary AB T2Y 2Z7
tel. (403) 256-6006
fax: (403) 313-9222
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
ATA Library has new music resources.
Yesterday, I posted my blog to ATA facebook page, and received this message:
The Alberta Teachers' Association Your ATA Librarian is happy to report that a bunch of new books about teaching music have arrived at your ATA Library! Please contact us at library@ata.ab.ca if you would like to borrow any of these items!
The Alberta Teachers' Association Your ATA Librarian is happy to report that a bunch of new books about teaching music have arrived at your ATA Library! Please contact us at library@ata.ab.ca if you would like to borrow any of these items!
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Music Teacher Blog- What are you working on for Christmas/Winter Concert?
I'd like to send a thank you to Natasha for her excellent idea to start blogs for all members of the Fine Arts Council. She's a smart cookie.
If you are a music teacher reading this, let us know what you are working on for the Christmas/Winter season. Our school is having their second annual Christmas concert on Dec. 9, which is coming up much too quickly. I don't know how we'll fit it all in, but there will be singing, recorders, handbells, lots of lines to learn, and this will be done in the midst of report cards, interviews, and all the other stuff that we do as teachers and learners.
If you need anything, please let me know. We don't have the arrangement that we want to use for Chatter With the Angels, so I looked on youtube to see if it was there. It was and it's really cute, so we've ordered the arrangement, and the Grade Ones will be angelic angels with a fantastic arrangement of the song. Thanks to Lisa for helping the Grade Ones learn this one. Here's the link if you are interested. You have to listen past the first verse to see the "cuteness" of the arrangement. Of course we won't put it into parts for grade one, but we will definitely use the "chatter, chatter, march, march" ostinato section. It has potential!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOWq5xhLjHQ
If you are a music teacher reading this, let us know what you are working on for the Christmas/Winter season. Our school is having their second annual Christmas concert on Dec. 9, which is coming up much too quickly. I don't know how we'll fit it all in, but there will be singing, recorders, handbells, lots of lines to learn, and this will be done in the midst of report cards, interviews, and all the other stuff that we do as teachers and learners.
If you need anything, please let me know. We don't have the arrangement that we want to use for Chatter With the Angels, so I looked on youtube to see if it was there. It was and it's really cute, so we've ordered the arrangement, and the Grade Ones will be angelic angels with a fantastic arrangement of the song. Thanks to Lisa for helping the Grade Ones learn this one. Here's the link if you are interested. You have to listen past the first verse to see the "cuteness" of the arrangement. Of course we won't put it into parts for grade one, but we will definitely use the "chatter, chatter, march, march" ostinato section. It has potential!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOWq5xhLjHQ
Monday, November 15, 2010
Share your Christmas concert programs and ideas.
What are you doing in your shows for Christmas? Are you having a band or choir showcase? Is you class or school doing something special? What is your school up to at this time of year besides report cards?
I've started the countdown. 15 teaching days at our school until our Christmas show. Today we are just getting our mouths wrapped around the lyrics, and putting notes in place. The grade sixes made a great start on a handbell processional that I can share with you if you wish. I put it on a notebook file, so if you have smartboard it's ready to go. I can also put it in Word, as I created it with letter names, not on the staff. We'd have to arrange a transfer by email. The grade fives will be creating a winter scene to the Blue Danube with the help of dance educator, Shirley Murray. Like I said, the process is what I love the most. A big thank you to Shirley for coming to talk about our piece today with the grade five teachers. We are grateful for her help.
The Blue Danube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTqlLKBKFhg&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1
I've started the countdown. 15 teaching days at our school until our Christmas show. Today we are just getting our mouths wrapped around the lyrics, and putting notes in place. The grade sixes made a great start on a handbell processional that I can share with you if you wish. I put it on a notebook file, so if you have smartboard it's ready to go. I can also put it in Word, as I created it with letter names, not on the staff. We'd have to arrange a transfer by email. The grade fives will be creating a winter scene to the Blue Danube with the help of dance educator, Shirley Murray. Like I said, the process is what I love the most. A big thank you to Shirley for coming to talk about our piece today with the grade five teachers. We are grateful for her help.
The Blue Danube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTqlLKBKFhg&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Some thoughts and resources
I just counted the school days I have until our Christmas Concert, taking out the interview day, as well as the three days I will be away to help my mom move into a nursing home in Saskatchewan- 16. I have 16 days to teach the whole school a musical called RAdio J-O-Y! where the best songs are songs about Christmas. To me, the best part of a production like this is the process. Hopefully, the end result will be enjoyable for all. Luckily, my whole staff is great, and totally on board with this.
In case you are interested in previewing the play, the link is at Chorister's Guild.
http://www.lorenz.com/product.aspx?id=CGC51
I am interested in reaching out to music teachers across the world, and particularly the province of Alberta. Please write in and let us know what you are working on this Christmas. If you are still looking for elementary resources, I recommend jwpepper.com and also musick8.com. Both of these companies have quick responses and replies, and you can listen to samples on line. Music K8 has downloadable backtracks and scores for both choral and recorder pieces. I also like OCP for liturgical music as I teach at a Catholic School.
http://www.ocp.org/ They also have downloadables if you need a quick copy of something, plus again, you can listen to the samples on line.
In case you are interested in previewing the play, the link is at Chorister's Guild.
http://www.lorenz.com/product.aspx?id=CGC51
I am interested in reaching out to music teachers across the world, and particularly the province of Alberta. Please write in and let us know what you are working on this Christmas. If you are still looking for elementary resources, I recommend jwpepper.com and also musick8.com. Both of these companies have quick responses and replies, and you can listen to samples on line. Music K8 has downloadable backtracks and scores for both choral and recorder pieces. I also like OCP for liturgical music as I teach at a Catholic School.
http://www.ocp.org/ They also have downloadables if you need a quick copy of something, plus again, you can listen to the samples on line.
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