Music in Our Schools
Spring Program - April 22
by Kathy Urban
March 20, 2010
March is Music In Our Schools month. Music class is much more than just music. There is math with counting (beats), subtraction (rests) and fractions (subdividing the beats).
The lyrics of songs provide opportunities for English lessons on vocabulary, grammar, and punctuation. History/geography lessons are ample, too. And I like to take the chance to introduce new types of fine arts—dance, opera, art.
The Miltonvale Grade School students are preparing for the Spring Program called “Yo, Leonard.” They are introduced to several artists and styles, encouraged to express themselves in the different ways and of course learn the songs about the artists. So far, the students have tried mirror writing and new inventions (Leonardo da Vinci) and Surrealistic stories and pictures (Salvador Dali). I think that has been the favorite.
So, parents the art work your child is bringing home is serving a purpose and we want you to attend the MGS Spring Program on April 22 to see it all come together.
Kindergarten Music: Angel Dawson, Hannah Kibler, Aly Jensen, Garett Kalivoda, Alisha Waite, Matthew Paillet, Storm Hackler, Autumn Adee, Evan Custer, Emily Custer, Lucas Jamison.
1st Grade Music: Harlee Myer, Olivia Rolph, Nick Millikan, Tanner DeMars, Brandon Dawson, Morgan Coleman, Kaeleb Mock, Devin Phelps.
2nd Grade Music: Chanse Beach, Zayed Awan, Bethany Primeaux, Braylynn Denio, Jager Huyghebaert, Dylan Murnahan, Chloe Waite, Michael Hemenway, Brailee Custer, Michelle Cyr, Colby Ensign, Brandon Custer, Paul Beach.
The 3rd & 4th grade classes meet together for music. At this time, the students are learning, re-learning, or continuing to learn to play the recorder. The recorder is the ancestor of the modern day woodwind instruments. It dates back to the medieval times and was popular through the baroque era. Its popularity declined in the 18th century as composers began to emphasize the flute, oboe and clarinet. The name ‘recorder’ comes from one meaning of the word—‘to practise [sic] a piece of music’. Presently, we use the recorder as a stepping stone to the traditional band instruments—learning to follow the conductor, follow the music, read the music, terminology, and working as an ensemble. Plan to attend our spring concert, April 22, and be a part of the whole ensemble.
3rd grade: Ryan Paillet, Jordyn Scott, Trey Scott, Mackensie Page-Tanner, Georgianna Siquieros George, Meghan Adee, Jacob Comstock, Zachery Paillet
4th grade: Jennifer Frazee, Anna Swarthout, Carly Sanders, Joseph Golightly, Jacey Fowler, Sienna Gray, BeyLee Brummet, William Kalivoda
Students begin band lessons in the 5th grade. Some catch on quickly to the finger coordination, breath control and horn position. Others take some time. Eventually most of the students can play simple songs. The first songs are learned by rote. Then reading notation is added. In a relatively short amount of time, students are playing some recognizable tunes. They continue to progress, hopefully, during the 6th grade year. Then they hit Junior High. The new songs come flying at them at the speed of sound, and the number of performances goes from two per year to sometimes two per week. It can be overwhelming. Thank you students and parents for supporting the band program.
5th grade: Mathieu Curier, Lane Sanders, McKenna Scott, Daysie Tanner, Bailey Primeaux, Freddy Carroll, Paula Rolph, Chelsey Taylor.
6th grade: Anne Pruitt, Brittney Golightly, Alexis Scott, Cheyenne Freeman; Hunter DeMars, Tyler Dennis, Chase Tate; Kyle Fowler, Connor Graham, Hunter H, Makailah Custer,Katelynn Hicks
