Winter Concert = One week away!

The TCS Winter Concert is only a week away! Students in grades 4 through 8 are gearing up for what's sure to be a fun way to dive into the holiday season.  More details are below for students who will be performing...

• When: Wednesday, December 6th
• Time: Students arrive @6:30pm, concert begins @7pm
• Attire (Boys): Dress shirt and tie, dark or khaki dress pants, dress shoes (no sneakers). 
• Attire (Girls): Blouse with pants/skirt, or dress (appropriate length). No strapless, no spaghetti straps (wear cardigan sweater if needed). 

*Band members: Please remember to bring your instrument, good reeds (woodwind players), and your music.

PLEASE JOIN US on Wednesday, December 12th at 7pm!

NEXT WEEK: Musical Auditions for 7th & 8th graders!

TCS Musical Auditions

for 7th and 8th graders

Tuesday, November 14th 3:15-4:30pm

Thursday, November 16th 3:15-4:30pm

*All auditions will be held in the music room with

Mr. Merrill & Mrs. Wepler (directors)

*Please bring your signed audition form

Performances:

Saturday, April  21st @5pm

Sunday, April  22nd @2pm

Candy Rhythms!

I know Halloween is over, but in the spirit of fun (and leftover candy!) here's an activity that connects candy and rhythm.

Name some of your favorite Halloween candy (use the photo below for inspiration):

Take the names of those treats and see if you can identify their specific rhythms. For example:

Skittles = Ti Ti

Almond Joy = Ti Ti Ta

Starburst = Ti Ti

Lollipops = Ti Ti Ta

Students had a blast with this game, and we even created a chart to see how many candies have the same rhythmic patterns.

Bonus: Put a few pieces of candy in a row, and see if you can clap out the rhythm using the names. The possibilities are endless!

The Musical Ripple Effect

Several weeks ago, I noticed some new visual art hanging in the dining hall. The first reading project for middle school grades culminates in the creation of posters to advertise books that students read over the summer. I was immediately struck by the uniqueness of each poster on the wall. Some took me back to my own middle school reading days (Where The Red Fern Grows), and others piqued my interest as a reader (All the Light We Cannot See). One poster caught my attention for a specific reason: the book was called Sing It! and it was about the life of Pete Seeger, who happens to be one of my favorite musicians. 

I noticed that sixth grader Caleb Butler had made the poster, so I asked him about the book. He assured me that it was "really good" and that I should definitely read it. I ordered the book, read it cover to cover, and couldn't stop thinking about it.

A few days later, I was talking with Heather Butler (4th grade teacher and Caleb's mom) about the book, and she informed me that she had reached out to the author, Meryl Danziger. TCS, with the help of Breakwater Books, was inviting Meryl to visit the school to share her story with our community. I couldn't believe it! Once Meryl's visit was confirmed, I contacted her and we began corresponding about how we might play some of Pete's songs together as part of her presentation. I also decided to devote some time during my music classes to share Pete Seeger songs with my students.

Hearing students sing classic songs like "This Land is Your Land" (a Woody Guthrie tune that Pete sang countless times), and "The Hammer Song" was such a fulfilling and positive musical experience for them, and for me.

Meeting Meryl was magical. Hearing her share stories about Pete Seeger and singing a few songs together was something I will never forget. We even had a special afternoon edition of WTCS, and students interviewed Meryl to find out more about her and the book, before her presentation after school. 

You can sense Meryl's genuine love of music and children the moment you meet her. Her knowledge of Pete Seeger, her willingness to share personal, heartfelt stories about Pete, and her honesty about the book writing process is inspiring. Through Meryl's visit, I not only learned more about Pete, but I also gained a new musical friend. I hope to visit Meryl at her school called Music House in New York at some point in the future.

Perhaps the most powerful connection I discovered through this process was between the student who chose to share this book with TCS, and the musician who inspired millions of people. Caleb's decision to read and share the book Sing It! was like dropping a single pebble into a pool of water. The "ripples" he created from his poster project led others to read this special book, which led our school to invite the author to share her story of Pete Seeger with us. Pete Seeger, a man who is known by millions but liked to think of himself as just a man with a banjo, created similar musical ripples throughout his life, just by singing songs and sharing his voice with others. Pete also had this to say about music education: "Singing with children in the schools has been the most rewarding experience of my life."

After experiences like this one, I truly cherish what I do here at TCS. Thank you to Caleb Butler, Heather Butler, Meryl Danziger, the TCS community, and Pete Seeger, for connecting us all through an inspiring love of reading and music!

Music Together with PreSchool and PreK!

Look what's heading home with PreSchool and PreK students this week! 

I'm always so excited when the Music Together family kits get sent home to our families. The Bongos collection has some really great tunes that I know our families are going to love.

Families: please use the books, cds, and online resources to make music together at home! Your children will have a blast hearing you sing and seeing you dance along with them. The most important part of this program is sharing the joy of music together. So get out some instruments (guitars, drums, pots, pans, anything that makes noise!) and march around, or listen and sing together in the car. Family dance parties are always a big hit too!

This collection has some great classics (She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain, My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean) and some songs you might not know yet but will surely enjoy (City Blues, Palo Palo), so have fun with the Bongos collection, and I'll reach out with details about a family sing-along later in the fall!

You Will Be Found

Broadway's hit musical Dear Evan Hansen is full of powerful messages, and the song "You Will Be Found" has been stuck in my head since I first heard it and felt the profound emotions from both the lyrics and the music. This is a song I will be exploring with my intermediate and middle school singers to discuss a variety of musical choices, and this video of the One Voice Children's Choir singing their version of "You Will Be Found" has been a great entry point for our learning. Enjoy the video, listen to the words, and share it with your families to spark some important discussion.

Remember: You are not alone!

Second Grade: Solfege Exploration

The second graders are exploring solfege during music class, and singing together to recognize the connection between each vocal pitch and its corresponding hand sign.

Each syllable of the scale (do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti, do) has a matching hand signal, and the students are making color charts to extend their learning.

Can you guess which two hand signs should have the same color? Ask a second grader!

WELCOME BACK!

Greetings! Welcome back to TCS! Now that September is in full swing, I wanted to dive back into my blog posts and share how excited I am for this year. Having seen all my students now, I can honestly say it feels great to be back. The students are already beginning their journeys this year as young musicians, and I have been designing two different bulletin boards for them to help me complete as the weeks continue.

Some students will be sharing their musical hopes and dreams for the year with me here:

Others will be taking note of what "music is" to them by connecting back to their experiences over the summer, and sharing how music is part of their lives every day. This project was inspired by the book Music Is... by Brandon Stosuy & Amy Martin. 

I will post the final versions of these boards when they are completed. Stay tuned!

HAPPY SUMMER!

It's been another WONDERFUL year here at TCS, full of musical learning! I am so proud of all my students and all that they've accomplished this year. I will be taking the summer to spend time with my family, play some gigs with my band, and put my toes in the sand at my favorite place on earth, Goose Rocks Beach, ME.

I will *try* to share some interesting articles, music, and other thoughts as the weeks go by. Until then, I encourage everyone to rock out together with their kiddos, and I have challenged my students to attend at least one live, outdoor music event this summer...we'll see who takes on that challenge!

CONGRATULATIONS!

I am SO incredibly proud of all the students in grades 4 through 8 who participated in the Celebration of the Arts concert last Thursday evening.

It was an unforgettable event, and our theme of EMPOWERMENT was certainly felt through the lyrics and performance of every young TCS musician.

Check out the TCS facebook page and thecountryschool.org for more photos and videos of the performance, and CONGRATULATIONS to all involved...it was a wonderful night full of empowering music!

Musical Connections to World Language

A few weeks ago, Mrs. Wei approached me with an idea to collaborate on a short musical connection with her Latin club. I jumped at the opportunity, so we talked about a piece of music that would be worth examining from both linguistic and musical perspectives. Carl Orff's "Carmina Burana" is an epic composition, filled with orchestral and vocal power. It begins with some intense Latin text, so we decided to focus on the "Oh Fortuna" as an entry point. The students first listened and focused on the language, complete with side-by-side Latin and English texts. Then I visited their class and brought along an orchestral score that included both instrumental and vocal lines.

The students were able to listen again and "hear" the music in a new way. We discussed musical choices that the conductor could make based on the words, and based on the melodic lines in the orchestra. Dynamics were also a hot topic given how Orff uses them to emphasize the text.

I'm really glad we got to show a few students how different subjects intertwine, and hopefully this will be the first of many musical connections we can make across the academic spectrum. Thanks for inviting me, Mrs. Wei and Latin Club!

CONGRATULATIONS!

I'm so incredibly proud of the cast and crew for their amazing performances of Into the Woods Jr.! It was truly a spectacular show, and everyone should be proud of their achievements! Since I'm not quite ready to let go of the process yet, you'll find a bulletin board devoted to the cast in the music room. It's engaging students to recall their favorite moments, find out who played which character, and some even burst into song when they see it! Feel free to come and check it out. (Photos by Mrs. Coyne)



Thank you to EVERYONE who had a hand in helping to bring the show to life. I am eternally grateful, and we could not have made the show happen without all the extra help from teachers, students, parents, and faculty!

Let the Countdown to Opening Night Begin!

Welcome back! I hope everyone enjoyed spring break as much as I did. I spent lots of time relaxing with family and friends, and having two weeks off is such a wonderful way to recharge before the chaos of spring begins...

Now that we're back, 7th and 8th grade students are getting ready to perform Into the Woods Jr. on April 8th & 9th!

In addition to our talented cast, many teachers and students in different grade levels are contributing their time, talent, and energy through set design, costume design, and tech crew. You might even spy some one-of-a-kind posters around campus (above is one example, drawn by a seventh grader). It's truly a team effort!

I'll be posting some things about the show as we gear up for opening night...please come into the woods with us!

Check This Out!

Pretty sure I've gushed about these guys before on my blog, but if you don't know about the genius that is the band Ok Go, then pause your life and check them out now. Below is their latest video, and it's mindblowing.

Not only do they write some great music, but they also challenge themselves to constantly invent new ways to share their music with the world, and that is really inspiring. Enjoy! Also check out their other videos too...each one is a masterpiece!

Fun Music App to Try: Arpie

I previewed a fun and FREE musical app called Arpie recently, and decided to share it with a few of my classes. The kids had a blast "composing" their own songs as a group, and many of them requested that I share the app here on the blog so they can download it and play at home. 

The app features colorful bouncing balls that can be placed along a simplistic "keyboard" of pitches. The tempo of each repeated pitch (aka the speed of each bounce) depends on where you tap the screen. The possibilities are endless, and the students had a blast. Go ahead and give it a try...let me know what you think!

Celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr.

Below is a video of the song "Martin Luther King" composed by music educator Barbara Ames. Watch and listen the song, with a heartfelt introduction by Lin-Manuel Miranda!

TCS students have been rocking out to this tune all week, and we'll be sharing our voices together on Friday morning during our All-School Meeting to honor Martin Luther King Jr. Feel free to join us!

What are YOU listening to???

As we begin 2017, what are you listening to? What is the soundtrack to your life these days? For me, it's a balance between what I choose and what my 3 year old chooses. Right now that means:

1) The band Joseph's "I'm Alone, No You're Not" album (click HERE or below to listen to one of my new favorite tunes, "White Flag")

2) The Hamilton Mixtape (click HERE or below to watch and listen to Kelly Clarkson sing "It's Quiet Uptown" and just be warned: it's tragically beautiful and may cause some tears!)

3) The Moana soundtrack (click HERE or below for Fiona's current favorite: "Where You Are")

Works for me!

Congratulations, & Happy New Year!

Welcome back, everyone!

Congratulations to all the students who performed at our Holiday Program before we left for winter break. It was a spectacular event full of music, fun, and holiday spirit, and it was a wonderful way to end the year!

I hope we are all ready to dive into 2017 with energy and enthusiasm for musical learning! There are lots of exciting things happening over the next several months here at TCS (MacLane Poetry, Into the Woods, etc) so check back soon for updates!