Musical Learning in April

Monkeys, Polar Bears – and Building Community!

Click HERE to watch
The Royal March of the Lions.

This month, our Kindergarten students have transformed into the most musical monkeys I have ever   Singing and moving, they have searched the jungle for percussion instruments, testing and exploring each one.  Then, when they found a good one, they celebrated by dancing and playing their instrument around the circle while their peers enjoyed their performance.  Students have also enjoyed acting out the famous piece, The Royal March of the Lions (by Camille Saint-Saens).  We marched and roared and even captured our prey as we listened to the music, before discussing the instruments that were used to create this wonderful soundscape.  If you’d like to experience the magic at home, please click the link to the right   to watch the video.

seen!

The Djembe, a West African drum

Grade Three classes have spent the last few weeks exploring rhythm from many different perspectives.  Students have once again picked up the West African drums, called djembes, which they first encountered in our One World Drum Residency in the fall.  After a quick review of the techniques they learned in September, students have learned several new rhythmic patterns and have now begun to mix and matc  As well, they have been practicing their musical literacy skills, composing, reading and performing rhythmic notation in increasingly complex pieces.  Students have even begun improvising (making up music in the moment) using the notes they have learned!

h them to perform pieces in multiple parts.

Grade One students were excited to share their “Community Song” at their Celebration of Learning this month!  Each class wrote a different part of our piece, composing the lyrics of the verses, the words of the poems and the actions that emphasized their ideas.  Students also learned how to accompany their song on the xylophone and the wooden spoons, carefully playing as a team with the musicians around them and using effective technique so that the instruments would sing as beautifully as possible. It was exciting to watch them put their new understanding to music, but even more wonderful to hear their confident and exuberant performance.  It was true demonstration of how powerful and positive we can be when we work as a community towards a common goal.

The Viola and the Piano.

Grade Two students also had a chance to learn music through the lens of their inquiry around polar   After several passionate discussions, each class composed a short poem around what was important about these creatures and their habitat.  They then performed this text on the xylophone, overlapping the words until they were playing in three parts at the same time!  After this very challenging work, the students were treated to a performance by two parents in our community, Mr. Park and Ms. Cheon, who have both trained and worked as professional musicians.  The students very much enjoyed hearing music played on the viola and the piano, as well as a song sung by Ms. Cheon.  After the performance, one student commented, “The music was beautiful!  It made my heart so big!”

And finally, students from all grades have been enthralled by the contemporary violinist Lindsey Stirling, who was recommended by one of our very own students!  Not only is she a talented dancer and a wonderful musician, but she has a knack for creating fascinating videos.  Click on one of the links below to watch her in action!

Click HERE to watch
Something Wild.

Click HERE to watch
Shadows.