What's New In Music

E-mail Mrs. Toth

  

 

Hello from the music room!!  We would like to welcome Mr. Rapacki to the music room.  Mr. Rapacki is a student at the University of Massachusetts, and will be student teaching with me until I go on maternity leave at Christmas.  Please welcome him if you see him in the hallway. 

 

The kindergarteners and first graders have still been working on concepts such as singing/talking voice, timbre, steady beat, and high/low, as well as using instruments such as conga drums, step bells, and an autoharp.  The second graders are beginning to work on musical literacy and have been creating music books in class.  They have learned how to write rhythms such as ta’s (quarter notes), ti-ti’s (eighth notes), tiri-tiri’s (sixteenth notes), and quarter rests, as well as recognize them in a song. 

 

In accordance with our district frameworks, all of the children in first and second grade will be participating in a winter concert.  We have started preparing for our first and second grade December holiday programs in class, but if your child brings in a blank cassette tape with their name and room number on it I will be happy to make a copy of the songs for them to practice with at home.  Please click on the flyer below to look at the schedule for the concerts.

 

First and Second Grade Holiday Concert Flyer

 

Chorus has started off wonderfully, and we officially have 103 members!!!  Our first mini-concert for the students on Halloween went very well.  To see a picture of the concert click here.  Please click here to see a copy of the chorus schedule letter for the fall.  The blue t-shirts should be worn to school on concert days with a black pair of pants/skirt.

 

Many parents have been sending in notes about where their children can take piano or other instrument lessons.  Some important things to note when looking for a teacher-

    

    Does the teacher have a musical background?

    Is the teacher experienced with young children?

    What are the teacher's expectations?

    How much practice time does the teacher expect?

 

There are many excellent private teachers in the area- please email me if you would like some information about private teachers and music schools in our community.

 

Have a musical month!

 

Carol Toth, Music Teacher

 

 

 

Below are some other musical links that you can share with your children- just cut and paste them into your browser or

re-type the address to open these

 

www.menc.org - This site has information about music education, as well as links to children's activities.

 

www.childrensmusic.org - This music portal will link you to several musical sites for children, including musical games, how to make musical instruments, etc.

 

www.dsokids.com/2001/rooms/musicroom.asp  - This instrument site has information and sound bytes about the instruments of the orchestra, as well as other fun music games for children to play.

 

www.playmusic.org - This site also has more games and information about instruments.

 

www.pbs.org/jazz/kids - This site contains musical games and learning activities about jazz music.