Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Here is an extensive guide to the Instruments of the orchestra

Thursday, May 7, 2015

Homemade instruments

Here are some ideas for instruments that Change pitch.

Maracas can be made at home and decorated however the student wants.

End of the year class orchestra

Thank you all for your help in making our spring concert a success!
In the last few weeks of school, we are continuing our discussion on musical instruments in a hands on way! I'm asking all the K-1 scholars to bring in any small/portable instruments they have to show the class and describe how they make music. This will give the students a chance to use some of the music vocabulary they have been learning throughout the year. On the last day of music class, I would like to have the class play together with all their instruments. If your students do not have instruments they can bring, there are many ways to make your own with things you already have around the house! I will be sharing ideas for instrument in later posts, but see what ideas your students come up with! They are very creative.

Please send instruments with your students starting Monday of next week, the 11th. If you need a little more time to create something, have the student bring it when they are finished. It will take me over a week to hear about all the students instruments. If you have an instrument that you do not want left at school, I understand, and ask that the student tells me on the day they bring it, and they will get a chance to present with it on that day.

Monday, May 4, 2015

Spring Concert Details

Your students have long been preparing and anticipating the spring concert. One last part of the preparation requires your help. Attire for this concert is the same as last fall, for the young men: white shirt, black pants, back shoes, optional spring colored tie. For the young Women, white top, black skirt, black shoes, optional black/white stockings, optional spring colored bow (pleas keep the bows small so that they do not block the view of students in the back rows.)

The drop off and pick-up procedures for this concert will be the same as last fall. Please drop off your student in the designated area at 5:10 on your way into the parking lot so they may walk directly to their classrooms. There will be teachers out in the parking area to assist with drop off. When you have parked, please make your way directly to the gym for the concert. The students will return to their classrooms when they finish singing, please pick them up from their classrooms at the conclusion of the K-1 concert and enjoy the rest of your evening together! If you have any questions e-mail Miss Bolzman, ebolzman@archwayarete.org.

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

We are less than two weeks from our concert day, and have just finished another grade level rehearsal.  The students are doing well and seem to be enjoying their songs. I love to watch their excitement grow as they sing.

Since we have the concert songs well in hand, the students have been studying a few other aspects of music.
Kindergarten is leaning about different kinds of tempo and demonstrating a running, walking, or swaying tempo.
1st Grade is studying different families in the orchestra and enjoyed learning how important it is for certain woodwind instruments to have reeds.

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Spring Concert

As we head into this last quarter of the 2014-2015 school year, most of our focus is turned to concert prep. Your students are surprising me with the speed at which they are learning their music and we are all so excited for the upcoming Spring Concert. 

The cocncert will be held here in the Arete Gymnasium at 5:30 on May 5th. The dress code is the same as for the winter concert with the addition of colorful ties or bows. I wouild love to seee some bright spring colors during the concert which will reflect the life and vibrancy of the students as they joyfully sing the works they have prepared.

As a reminder for concert attire, the young men should wear black pants and a white shirt, with the addition of a tie of any color.
ladies should wear a black skirt coming to about the knee or longer and a white top with a colored hair bow. In regards to the bow, please keep it to a size that is not distradting for the student or anyone standing behind the student.

Monday, January 12, 2015

A New Semester

We are back from winter break and took a week to review material from last semester before we move ahead into new material. This week, your kindergarten students will begin a study of musical instruments starting with the piano. They will listen to and discuss different sounds the piano can make and in later weeks compare the sound to other instruments they hear. Meanwhile, your 1st grade students will finish a study of the Classical era of music and experience the transition between the traditional forms of the 18th century and Romantic music of the 19th century through the works of Ludwig van Beethoven.