Tuesday, May 17, 2011

MCDA rehearsals

Remember, MCDA choir students are rehearsing next Monday, May 23rd from 3:30 - 4:30. We will also rehearse on the following Mondays throughout the summer: June 6th, 13th, 20th, and 27th from 2:00 - 3:00pm. All rehearsals will be held in the IS music room. Please go to the Northwest music room door to drop off/pick up your child.

Talent Show Auditions this week!

Talent show auditions will be held this week in your music classroom. If you are not able to audition in your classroom, you may sign up for a time before school (Wednesday, May 18th 7:30 - 7:55am), or after school (Thursday, May 19th 3:30 - 4:30). I am looking forward to seeing lots of awesome talent!

Thursday, April 28, 2011

May Newsletter

5th grade students are currently working on dynamics and drumming. We have been working together in a drum circle where students are improvising rhythm patterns, working together to keep “the groove,” and applying dynamics. We are creating a class composition in rondo form. It is awesome to see the creativity flowing within the drum circle.

6th grade students are finally wrapping up their blues guitar unit. Students are in the process of being assessed on playing the 12-bar blues. Students have also completed two blues verses and are finishing up a project that explains their blues lyrics in depth. Students have chosen between singing their blues lyrics, writing about their blues lyrics, or creating an art project about their blues lyrics. Again, students have really come up with some creative projects!

6th grade choir students are busy preparing for the Spring Musical, Mulan, Jr.! We are adding choreography and polishing up songs in order to perform on May 5th and 6th at the High School. Students are also singing a Japanese piece titled “Hotaru Koi,” which is about fireflies. We will present this song to 5th grade students on May 10th and 11th in school.

Our talent show will be held on the last day of school, May 26th. Auditions will be the week of May 16th in your child’s music classroom. More information will be available on the music blog beginning the first week of May.

It is a pleasure to teach such wonderful, talented kids here at Pleasant Hill Intermediate School! I am truly blessed!

Sing-cere-ly,
Mrs. Williams

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

April Music Notes Newsletter

5th Grade
Fifth grade students are currently discovering bluegrass music in class! This is one of my favorite genres of music and I hope my excitement will be contagious to students. So far we have seen Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys perform “Uncle Pen,” a song that fifth grade classes are working on singing in two-part harmony. We have also had the opportunity to see, hear, and analyze the tone color of two bluegrass instruments: the guitar and mandolin. Students also experienced the tone color of the viola and discussed similarities and differences between its’ sound and the violin and fiddle. The viola, one of my main instruments, is slightly larger than the violin, has the strings of a cello, and it plays in the alto clef.

6th Grade
Sixth grade students are still in the process of learning the 12-bar blues on the guitar. Students have also spent some time reading and analyzing blues lyrics, and will soon be writing their own lyrics that express something about themselves. Students have received their final assessment, which includes playing 12-bar blues, writing blues verses, and choosing another performance task such as: singing their blues lyrics, writing a paragraph explaining their blues lyrics, or creating a piece of artwork that expresses their blues lyrics. If choosing to do an art project, students should plan on bringing in some supplies beginning on Monday, April 11th. We will be wrapping our blues unit up in April and moving on to a short unit on Chinese music.

6th Grade Choir
Sixth grade students are in the process of working on Mulan, Jr. repertoire. We are also singing a Japanese folk song titled “Hotaru Koi” about fireflies, which we will perform for fifth grade students on May 10th and 11th in a sixth grade Asian Museum presented by the entire sixth grade. We are also working on Paul McCartney’s “Blackbird,” which we will perform for our all-school talent show on the last day of school.

Mulan, Jr. Musical Information
Costume information is now available on the music blog. Orders are due to Mrs. Williams on Friday, April 8th.

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Music Notes March Newsletter

5th Grade

Fifth grade students are currently wrapping up a unit on African American Spirituals. The final part of the unit will consist of students composing an accompaniment along with a Spiritual on mallet instruments.

6th Grade

Sixth grade students are in the process of learning to play the guitar! So far, students have learned the notes on the top string and can play a G chord. Our goal in the next several weeks is to learn notes on the top three strings, play three chords, and compose a blues song along with a 12-bar blues accompaniment. Students are also continuing to sing blues music and learn about key blues performers such as Bessie Smith and Huddie Ledbetter.

6th Grade Choir and Honor Choir

We hope you can join us for our March 8th P.T.O. choir concert in the IS gymnasium at 7:00pm! It will be our final choir concert for the year. Honor Choir parents, remember we have rehearsal from 3:30 - 5:00pm on Thursday, March 3rd and our final Honor Choir party will be Thursday, March 10th from 3:30 - 4:30pm.

All District Honor Choir

Twelve students will travel to the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg on Saturday, March 5th to sing with students from all over the West Central District all day long! Students will give a concert to the public at 3:30pm in Hendricks Hall on Campus.

Mulan, Jr. Musical Information

Congratulations to our Spring Musical Cast, and thank you to all students who auditioned. There will be an informational musical meeting on Thursday, March 10th, 2011 at 6:30pm in the IS music room. Please plan to attend if your child is a part of the musical. Students will receive their scripts and musical schedules on this date. Rehearsals will begin the week of March 14th.

Friday, February 25, 2011

Musical Audition Results Now Available!

Thank you to all students who auditioned for the 2011 Spring Musical, Mulan, Jr. Audition results are now available on the PHIS Musical Blog (see link to the right of the page)under the link "Mulan Junior Cast!" Congratulations to all of you:). Cast members and parents, please mark your calendars for our informational musical meeting on Thursday, March 10th at 6:30pm.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Musical Audition information available!

Click on the link below "PHIS Musical Blog" to the right of the page for audition information for the 2011 Spring Musical, Mulan, Jr.!