Mrs. Creach's Class - "March" from THE NUTCRACKER

The 2nd Grade classes experienced the difference between an even marching rhythm and an uneven galloping rhythm. Here, Mrs. Creach's class demonstrates with candy cane "horses", bells, and egg shakers.  They also demonstrate rondo form (ABACABA) through their playing and movement.

Mrs. Stone's Class-"Russian Dance" from THE NUTCRACKER

Mr. Stone's 2nd Grade class shows the form (AABA) of "Russian Dance" (Trepak) from The Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky with a rousing ribbon wand routine.  They had just done this for the first time just before taping!

"March" from THE NUTCRACKER - Mrs. Holland's Class

The 4th graders studied rondo form (ABACABA) with the "March" from The Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky.  In rondo form, the A section is repeated after each other section.  Watch as Mrs. Holland's class demonstrates - the A section is the part that everyone does together.

Mrs. Stone's Class "El Capitan" Cup Routine

Last week the 2nd and 4th graders learned a plastic cup routine to John Phillip Sousa's, "El Capitan".  This routine helped reinforce the march form   Introduction AA BB CC interlude DD (with stinger). This video shows Mrs. Stone's 2nd Grade class in action.

Mrs. Grimm's 2nd Graders "Pass the Pumpkin"

Mr. Giuliano's 4th Graders "Pass the Pumpkin"

The "Pass the Pumpkin" activity gave our students practice in steady beat, playing melodies, rhythms, teamwork, and minor tonality.

Mrs. Burns' Third Graders Move to "In the Hall of the Mountain King"

Mrs. Burns class did a great job of staying calm in order to keep up with the accelerando in  "In the Hall of the Mountain King" by Edvard Grieg.

Mrs. Burns' Third Graders Passing the Pumpkin

Here Mrs. Burns' 3rd grade students demonstrate the actual pumpkin passing.  The lucky student who has the pumpkin at the end of the song, goes on to play an instrument,

Mrs. Burns Class-"Pass the Pumpkin"

Students in grades 2, 3 and 4 did a great job on "Pass the Pumpkin".  Here Mrs. Burns' 3rd graders are doing a great job of playing their parts and then teaching another student.

H.A.M.S. Blog

We have created a blog just for H.A.M.S.Check it often for updates, videos, and/or pictures!

 http://hamscamp.blogspot.com/.

H.A.M.S. CAMP THIS SUMMER!

H.A.M.S. Camp    ("101 Dalmations" KIDS)

(Hamilton Area Musical Summer Camp)

Eligibility: Any Hamilton City School student who has completed 2nd, 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade.
Auditions will be held the 2nd week of the camp.  No one will be turned away.

Times/Places:

Camp/Rehearsals: 9:00 – 12:00 noon every Tues. and Wed. beginning June 14 through August 17. At Bridgeport Elementary during June and July At Garfield Middle School in August

Open Dress rehearsal Thursday, Aug. 18, 7:00, at Garfield

Performances “101 Dalmatians” (audience tickets will be $5.00 each) at Garfield Friday, Aug. 19, 7:00 Saturday, Aug. 20 2:00 and 7:00. (Performers should be prepared to stay between performances. We will order pizza, play games, and reflect on our experience)

Cost: $50.00 per camper. This covers music, scripts, materials, costumes, props, practice CDs. Each camper will also get a “101 Dalmatians” t-shirt and black shorts which will also serve as a costume base.

At least $25.00 will be due on first day of camp. The remainder needs to be paid by July 5.

Payment may be made by cash or checks made out to “Hamilton Performing Arts Association”.

Attendance: Since we are working towards a final product of a finished show, regular attendance is a must. Any camper with more than 2 unexcused absences will be dismissed from the camp without a refund.

We do realize that families do take vacations in the summer and we don’t require that you alter your vacation plans. We do, however, require advanced notice of any absence for vacation purposes. Please schedule other summer events on days other than Tuesday or Wednesday, if possible.

If a camper is ill, or in other emergency absences, please call

Ms. Meg Haven:
Mrs. Tari McKee:
What to wear: comfortable clothes for sitting on the floor, moving, etc. . Gym shoes – no flip flops, sandals, etc.

What to Bring: A snack and a water bottle. We will have a snack break each day.

*This group will also be performing 2 patriotic songs uptown after the 4th of July Parade. We will meet on the east Courthouse steps at 11:45. We will perform by the gazebo (I think) around 12:00.

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO SIGN UP, CALL OR SEE MRS. MCKEE AT BRIDGEPORT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL  868-5580

2nd Graders Dance to Brahms' "Hungarian Dance No. 5"

6th Grade Displays Beat, Form, and Teamwork with the Cup Game

Wise Words from Former President Gerald Ford

Music education opens doors that help children pass from school into the world around them; a world of work, culture, intellectual activity, and human involvement. The future of our nation depends on providing our children with a complete education that includes music.

Gerald Ford
Former President,
United States of America

Expressive Movement in Second Grade

Each music period includes an opportunity to move expressively to music written by a great composer.  At the end of each class period, we have SQUILT, Super Quiet UnInterrupted Listening Time.  During this time, the students just listen without moving, talking, singing, etc. The SQUILT music is the same music to which  they moved earlier in the lesson.  We move and listen to the same musical selection for about 2 weeks, or 4 class periods. It is my hope that the moving and listening to the selection will help form a lasting bond with that piece. In this video, Mrs. Creach's class is moving to "The Aquarium" by Camille Saint-Saens.  This piece is part of a larger work called Carnival of the Animals.  

Research Shows Importance of Music Education

A research team exploring the link between music and intelligence reported that music training is far superior to computer instruction in dramatically enhancing children's abstract reasoning skills, the skills necessary for
learning math and science.

Shaw, Rauscher, Levine, Wright, Dennis and Newcomb

Third Graders Learn About Percussion Instruments

The third graders have been learning about the 4 instrument families of the orchestra. They have learned about the brass, strings, and percussion sections. Shown in this video is Mrs. Burns' homeroom singing the song "Crash, Boom, Bang" as they play some of the percussion parts along with the song.

A Proverb from Zimbabwe

If you can walk you can dance. If you can talk you can sing.


~ Zimbabwe Proverb

Second Grades - Expressive Movement to Saint-Saens' "The Aquarium"

Mrs. Asher-Williams' class  portraying fish with their hands to this beautiful music.

Confucius Says...

“When music and courtesy are better understood and appreciated, there will be no war”

~Confucius

Confucius Says....

“Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without”

~Confucius

Bridgeport Chorus Creates History with Bridgeport's First Musical

The Bridgeport Chorus did an awesome job in their presentation of  "Dig It!".  Enjoy their performance of the first song, "So Long Ago".

3C - Pizzicato Polka

Mrs. Meade's homeroom (3C) play quarter notes, eighth notes and sixteenth note patterns with Strauss' "Pizzicato Polka"

3B - Pizzicato Polka

Mrs. Dower's homeroom (3B) play quarter notes, eighth notes and sixteenth note patterns with Strauss' "Pizzicato Polka"

"Dig It!" Pictures

Check out the pictures of "Dig It!" on the Hamilton City Schools website.  Just click on the link below.

http://hamiltoncityschools.com/Slideshows2010/Bridgeport/DigItMusical.cfm

Third Grade Video Delay

I see that many of you have been checking to see if the 3rd grade videos from Friday are up yet.  Unfortunately, I forgot to take my camera home - so it will be sometime next week before they are up.  So sorry for the delay!

Music Education Strengthens Students' Minds in Many Ways

"Many colleges view participation in the arts and music as a valuable experience that broadens students understanding and appreciation of the world around them. It is also well known and widely recognized that the arts contribute significantly to children’s intellectual development."

Students with coursework/experience in music performance and music appreciation scored higher on the SAT: students in music performance scored 57 points higher on the verbal and 41 points higher on the math, and students in music appreciation scored 63 points higher on verbal and 44 points higher on the math, than did students with no arts participation.

Students who participated in arts programs in selected elementary and middle schools in New York City showed significant increases in self-esteem and thinking skills. The musician is constantly adjusting decisions on tempo, tone, style, rhythm,phrasing, and feeling--training the brain to become incredibly good at organizing and conducting numerous activities at once. Dedicated practice of this orchestration can have a great payoff for lifelong attentional skills,intelligence, and an ability for self-knowledge and expression.

John J. Ratey, MD
Clinical associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.

Mrs. Stone's 2nd Graders - Expressive Movement

The Kindergarten and 2nd Grade music classes enjoy moving expressively to music.  Here, Mrs. Stone's class moves to Erik Satie's "Gymnopedie No. 1"

Albert Einstein on Being a Musician

If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music.
~Albert Einstein

Miss Goebel's 2nd Grade Class Performing "Miss White" in a 4-Part Canon

All of our 2nd graders enjoy this chant, especially in a 4-part canon.  To do this well, the students must work together to maintain a good balance and a uniform beat.

Former President Clinton on the Influence of Music

"Music can give you your dreams. It will teach you hard work, it will break
your heart and make you so happy, you can't stand it. . . .I don't think I'd
have been president if it hadn't been for music."

Former President Bill Clinton, 2001
At an event celebrating the restoration of music programs to the Newark Public Schools

"Lighten Up" by the Third Graders Provides Many Laughs and Great Music Making

6-KFF Sings "Hey Ho, Nobody Home" In a 3-Part Canon

The 6th grade general music classes switched teachers last week.  Now I have the group which named themselves the Kung Fu Fighters, KFF for short.  They are shown here singing the American folk song, "Hey Ho, Nobody Home" in a 3-part canon. We later added drums and woodblocks as an accompaniment.

Elementary Music Education has Lasting Impact

“Music got me through school! It helped me both academically and psychologically. I never understood fractions until I learned to read music. Vocal music increased my fluency and vocabulary in reading more than any reading class I ever had. The music was very therapeutic and the one driving force that kept me wanting to come back every day.

“I graduated from high school 29 years ago, but I can still recall songs, lyrics, and facts learned through music in elementary school. I really don't remember anything else from my early years, but the music is still there! I am now an elementary music teacher and I see the impact that music has on my students every day. I can reach kids that others feel are unreachable or maybe even unteachable. Music improves their attitudes, stimulates and increases their brain activity, and gives EVERY child an opportunity to succeed!”

- Cindy H., Arkansas

Arts Education Increases Math Test Scores

A 1997 study of elementary students in an arts-based program concluded that students’ math test scores rose as their time in arts education classes increased.


- “Arts Exposure and Class Performance,” Phi Delta Kappan, October, 1998.

Music Education Prepares Children for the Workforce

“The things I learned from my experience in music in school are discipline, perseverance, dependability, composure, courage and pride in results. . . Not a bad preparation for the workforce!”


- Gregory Anrig – President, Educational Testing Service

Ms. Goebel's Class Singing and Playing "Do Re Mi" on Keyboards

Mrs. Grimm's Class Singing and Playing "Do Re Mi" on Keyboards

"Every Good Boy Does Fine" Video

The video for "Every Good Boy Does Fine" is hot off the press and can be viewed by following the link below! Most students learned this song in November.

http://www.mootoobmoosic.com/moo/video.php

"Forte Piano" video

To watch the video of "Forte Piano" which most classes saw in music, click on the below website and then click on the thumbnail of "Forte Piano".

http://www.musick8.com/video_net/video_youtube.php

Music Education is Critical

“In every successful business…there is one budget line that never gets cut. It’s called ‘Product Development’ – and it’s the key to any company’s future growth. Music education is critical to the product development of this nation’s most important resource – our children.”


- John Sykes — President, VH1

Mrs. Stone's Class, 2E, Plays "Do Re Mi" on Keyboards

How exciting it was to play the keyboards for the first time!

Mrs. Strafford's Kindergarten Class Learns About Pitch With Step Bells

More of Mrs. Strafford's Kindergarten Class Learning About Pitch With Step Bells

4th, 5th, and 6th Grade Review Basic Rhythms with Basketballs

Students in 5B display their rhythmic basketball skills with "Beauty in the World" by Macy Gray.

Mrs. Creach's 2nd Graders Learn About the Scale with "Do Re Mi"

Chorus Musical Open to 4th, 5th, and 6th Graders

We will begin working on a musical on January 18. Rehearsals will be Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8:15 - 9:00.  All 4th, 5th, and 6th graders are invited to join.  The performance date is March 24 at 6:30. If interested, just show up on the 18th.  I will give you all the specifics at that time.

Chorus Cancelled for Jan. 6!!

In case any chorus member (or anyone who knows a chorus member) reads this, I have to cancel chorus rehearsal for tomorrow, Jan. 6.  Please spread the word so that people don't come early for nothing!