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.!

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

February Newsletter

Music Notes

5th grade students are currently exploring African American Spirituals. They are beginning to play a three part instrumental accompaniment along with a spiritual and will soon be composing their own instrumental accompaniments on mallet instruments. Students are also playing some American folk singing games at this time.

Sixth grade students are finally picking up guitars this week, weather permitting! We have discussed characteristics of Blues music and played a 12-bar blues accompaniment on boomwhackers. We are now ready to begin learning to play notes and chords on guitars. Please note that the P.T.O. performance will now feature PHIS choirs and a few volunteer sixth grade students sharing their blues songs on guitar instead of the entire sixth grade. The change in plans is due to a lack of time as a result of snow days.

Sixth grade choir students are really digging into their new repertoire. Songs for our March 8th concert (now at 7:00pm) include…

Hitori – Japanese Folk Song

Hotaru Koi (Ho, Firefly) – Japanese Chidren’s Song

Tell Me Ma – Traditional Irish Folk Song

Elijah Rock – Medley of traditional spirituals

When I Close My Eyes – Inspirational song

Honor Choir students will resume meeting this Thursday, February 3rd. Please note that our concert on March 8th concert feature both sixth grade choir, honor choir, and some sixth grade guitar players and will now be held at 7:00pm in the PHIS gymnasium.

Congratulations to these twelve students who made the All-District Honor Choir: Haley Burge, Ricee Cade, Noah Campbell, Katie Jones, Jake King, Aidan Link, Clara Plasse, Jordan Smith, Jessica Turner, Johnna Walls, Brooke Wood, Colleen Wouters. Alternates include: Maleeha Tozier and Courtney Wesemann. These students will be traveling to the University of Central Missouri on Saturday, March 5th to perform with other students from around the West Central District. It is a great honor to be selected to participate in this choir! Our first rehearsal will be this Wednesday, February 2nd at 7:00am.

MUSICAL INFORMATION: Musical auditions for Mulan Jr. will be held in your child’s music class beginning on February 14th. Audition materials will be available on Thursday, February, 3rd on the music blog. Paper copies will be available soon after. Auditions will consist of singing a short song from the musical (we will learn it in class), acting out lines, and turning in an evaluation form that the students’ home team of teachers will fill out. Please check the music blog for more information!

Thursday, January 13, 2011

All District Honor Choir Information

The West Central All-District Honor Choir is coming up on Saturday, March 5th at the UCM campus in Warrensburg! This is a wonderful opportunity for young singers from all over the West-Central District to join together in singing and having fun. Students will rehearse music with Mrs. Williams once a week during the month of February, and then travel to UCM on March 5th to rehearse the same music with an awesome choir director and give an afternoon performance to the community.

If you are interested in this choir, please be aware that it there will be mandatory rehearsals for the month of February (see dates/times below) and there is an $8.00 registration fee. Students will also be required to wear a black skirt or pants and a white top for the performance on Saturday, March 5th. Only sixth grade students who have participated in or are participating in sixth grade choir or honor choir are eligible to audition.

If you make the All-District Choir, mandatory Rehearsal Dates will be on…
Wednesday mornings from 7:00 – 7:55am on the following dates:
•February 2nd
•February 9th
•February 16th
•February 23rd
•March 2nd
•Saturday, March 5th, 2010 –rehearsal and performance on UCM campus in Warrensburg! This time commitment will be 7:45am – 4:30pm. Transportation will be provided.
*If you miss a rehearsal for anything other than sickness or a family emergency, an alternate will replace you.

Auditions will consist of singing “My Country Tis’ of Thee” (America), and sight reading.
•Sixth grade choir students will audition during class on Wednesday, January 19th.
•Honor Choir students will audition during Honor Choir rehearsal on Thursday, January 20th.

Only twelve sixth grade students will be selected to participate in the Honor Choir. Results will be posted outside the music room door, at the office door, and at bus doors on Friday, January 21st as long as everyone has had an opportunity to audition.

I look forward to your auditions!
Mrs. Williams

January Newsletter Changes/Updates

Please note the following changes to information stated in the sixth grade portion of the January Newsletter...
Due to time restraints, the sixth grade P.T.O. concert will feature the Honor Choir and Sixth Grade Choir at 7:00pm instead of the previously stated time of 6:15pm. A select group of sixth graders will also contribute to the P.T.O. performance, but it will no longer be a required performance for the entire sixth grade. More information to come!

Monday, January 3, 2011

January Newsletter

Music Notes for January
Welcome back! I hope your holidays were filled with memorable moments.

Fifth Grade Music
This quarter, fifth grade students will be exploring different genres of music unique to America. We will experience American folk songs, African American Spirituals, Ragtime, Bluegrass, and Swing Music. Students will be singing, playing instruments, dancing, and researching artists as they delve into these exciting genres of music!

6th Grade Music
This quarter, sixth grade students will be learning about Blues music and composing their own Blues song with guitar accompaniment! The culmination of this Blues Unit will be the sixth grade P.T.O. performance on Tuesday, March 8th, 2011 @ 7:00pm in the IS Gymnasium. A select group of students will perform their blues compositions on this evening.

Sixth Grade Choir
Sixth Grade Choir will be learning new repertoire this quarter for our concert, on Tuesday, March 8th at 7:00 pm. This choir concert will precede the sixth grade P.T.O. performance. Following this concert, students will begin preparing for the spring musical, Mulan Jr.

Honor Choir
Honor Choir will resume rehearsals on Thursday, January 13th, 2011 from 3:30 – 4:30pm in the music room. Our final concert will be on Tuesday, March 8th at 7:00pm in the IS gymnasium.

Upcoming Events
Sixth Grade WCMMEA All District Honor Choir Auditions: The week of January 17th – Students must be in 6th grade choir or Honor Choir to audition for this choir. Audition information will be available on January 10th in the music room.

Spring Musical, Mulan Jr.: Auditions for the musical will be held in February. More information to come soon!

Sing-cer-ely,
Mrs. Williams