Beautiful Singing from the Fourth Grade

This is Mrs. Cook's class, doing a very special project. Here they are singing "America the Beautiful"…Enjoy!

Mrs. Cook's Class - America the Beautiful

There is joy in the Music Room this month...

We are practicing our winter songs for our Half School Meetings!
The students in all grades are wowing us with their beautiful voices.
We love to hear them sing!

Congratulations, Fourth Grade Chorus Members!!

This week, our three choruses had their fall concerts. Mrs. Demarky Anderson and I are so proud of you all. You used your FACTS and CARES, pulled together as a team and were super awesome up there on the stage! We can't wait to see you in December to do some more relaxed singing before we start preparing for our Spring Extravaganzas!!

Many thanks for all of your hard work and congrats to you for being a part of something so special!

Fourth Grade Chorus Concerts - NEXT WEEK!!!

We are getting ready to present our patriotic fall performances on the cafeteria stage. (See dates below!)  The concerts will be about a half an hour long.

The students don’t need to go out and buy anything special to wear. We will be wearing the colors of the American Flag – red, blue and white in any combination.

Students should meet in the music room 15 minutes prior to the concert to warm up their voices with Mrs. DeBlois and Mrs. Demarky Anderson, and to get to their places. (If your concert is at 6:30pm, you should plan to be here at 6:15pm.)

We are looking forward to seeing you at our concerts. Thank you for supporting the Arts at Floral Street School!

Sincerely,

Tracy DeBlois And Georgia Demarky-Anderson

Music Specialists

Floral Street School

P.s., We are looking for volunteers to videotape our concerts so that we may view them in class and self-assess. If you are willing to do so, please contact Mrs. DeBlois  at tdeblois@shrewsbury.k12.ma.us.

Chorus One (the Herring, Cook and Spangenberg classes)

will be performing on November 20, 2013 at 6:30pm

Chorus Two (the Edgren, Morrissey and Ralys classes)

                will be performing on November 20, 2013 at 7:30pm

Chorus Three (the Morgan and Ross classes)

will be performing on November 21, 2013 at 6:30pm

The Fourth Grade Recorders Have Arrived!!!

We are so excited to get playing! If you have a recorder at home, please bring it to music class!

Our first notes will be the notes B, A and G. We'll be learning "Hot Cross Buns" and "Wish I Was A Chicken" this month.

Please remember the things we talked about in music class - safety first! Enjoy your recorders and we'll see you next week!

Tempo Troubles!

This month, not only have we been singing our favorite October songs and doing our favorite October activities, we are also reviewing the concept of tempo in music with Mr. Treble Clef. The title of the chapter that we reading is called "Tempo Troubles!"

Tempo is the speed of the music. It is measured in beats per minute, just like your pulse! Each range of beats per minute is labeled with an Italian word. When we see the Italian word in the music (usually at the beginning but sometimes where the composer wants us to make a change for dramatic effect or style purposes), we know how fast or slow the composer wants us to sing or play it. Ask your student if they can name a tempo word in Italian!!

We have also used a metronome in class to help us play instruments at different tempos.  We're looking forward to Chapter Three, coming soon to the Music Room!!

What's Up In The Music Room?!

We are so grateful to the families who have sent in tissues! We will have happy noses throughout the fall...

Speaking of fall, we hope that you are enjoying the beautiful weather? It's finally fall! We can now sing some of our favorite fall songs like "Apple On A Stick" and "Orange and Yellow and Red." Ask your children to sing their favorite song from music class. Don't be surprised if they hum you a smidgeon of Haydn's Symphony No. 94! We are listening to it with our new friend, Little Luigi. Luigi is a conductor's baton with attitude.  He'll be hanging around the music room this year and helping us to focus on some really cool musical selections. We will keep you posted on the blog!

Mr. Treble Clef is still on vacation. He's leaving us little notes and things so that we can continue his story throughout the year. Right now, he's asked Mrs. Demarky Anderson and I to review musical dynamics. See if your child can fill you in on dynamics!

In Fourth Grade Music News, the choruses are sounding FANTASTIC! We are getting so excited for our concerts in November. Prepare to be amazed! (Concerts are on November 20th and 21st - 4th Grade Chorus Concert Dates and Information.)

The Fourth Grade recorder slips are due back in the Music Room by September 30th. The date is approaching quickly. Please let Mrs. DeBlois know if you need another paper. I have extras in the Music Room or you can print out the post below this one!!! Here's the link...Recorder Letter and Form.

We're looking forward to the Harvest Hoedown this year. It will be held this year on October 31st in the gymnasium. Can't wait to see all the happy Floral faces that day!

Happy Fall, y'all!!

Fourth Grade Recorder Program

September 16, 2013

Dear Fourth Grade Parents and Caregivers,

This year, fourth graders at Floral Street School will be studying the recorder as part of their music curriculum. This program has, in the past, been very successful in the Shrewsbury Public Schools and we are looking forward to another very fun and musical year ahead!

The recorder is a wind instrument that looks and sounds like an early flute. It is made of wood or plastic and played very much like a clarinet.

Each week a portion of your child’s general music class at school will be dedicated to learning the recorder.  We are asking that all children participate in this program at an individual cost of $7.00.  This way the students will have their own personal recorder, which they can take home to practice and keep at the end of the year.

We realize the cost of the program may be prohibitive for some families.  We would ask that you contact Mrs. DeBlois, Ms. Day or Mrs. McCubrey if this is a concern. 

If there are students that already own a recorder, it may be used for this program. Sheet music will be provided to each fourth grade student.

We would like to begin this program in October.  In order to do this, we are asking that you return the bottom portion of this letter with your payment, if applicable, to the music room by Monday, September 30, 2013.  Please make any checks payable to Floral Street School. 

Thank you so much for your support.  If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. DeBlois at Floral Street School (508-841-8300 ext. 4932) or by e-mail at tdeblois@shrewsbury.k12.ma.us.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Tracy DeBlois

Music Specialist

Floral Street School

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Name of Student:______________________________ClassroomTeacher:__________________

__  We are purchasing a recorder for $7.00

__  We already own a recorder                                    

Parent/Guardian Signature: ____________________________________

Please send this form and money/check (made out to FLORAL STREET SCHOOL) if applicable,  back to the music room by Monday, Sept. 30, 2013.

Fourth Grade Instrumental Lessons at the Middle School!

This Thursday, the 5th of September, we will have a very special guest in the Music Room. Our new Instrumental Music Program Coordinator, Ms. Meg Dagon, will be visiting the fourth graders to tell them about the optional instrumental music program that they are invited to take part in. Here is the link that will take you right to the information page that the students and families will be receiving: Fourth Grade Strings Information If you have any questions, please post here or email me at tdeblois@shrewsbury.k12.ma.us. You can reach Ms. Dagon directly at mdagon@shrewsbury.k12.ma.us, as well.

Looking forward to a musical fall!
Mrs. DeBlois
: )

p.s., Remember the "moment" we had together with Ms. Dagon - if you can't get to the web site, check to be sure that SHREWSBURY is spelled correctly!!!

Wish List

Classroom teachers have a wish list that they send home to families at the beginning of each year.

In the Music Room...we only have one request...TISSUES!!!

If you have any extra boxes, please send them in to us, as all of the noses at Floral will be passing through the music room each week!! 

Our noses thank you very much!

A Brand New Year! Welcome Back!

As we begin the 2013-2014 school year, excitement is in the air! Mrs. Demarky Anderson and I are so thrilled to meet all of our new friends here at Floral and, of course, to see all of our old friends... 

We have many fun music learning activities planned for the year ahead, including the continuing story of Mr. Treble Clef!  That's right - he's back! 

We are thankful to be able to blog again this year...It is so neat to be able to communicate with you all in yet another new way. Hopefully we will reach parents and students alike. If you follow our blog, we will keep you posted with all of the wonderful things that are happening in the Music Room this year.

Have a musical year!

Musically Yours...

-Mrs. DeBlois and Mrs. Demarky Anderson

Mr. Jim Scott - in the Music Room!

For the past two years, we have been extremely lucky to have Mr. Jim Scott, a nationally touring musician, come to Floral Street to work with some of our third graders on the process of composition. He began by performing some of his own pieces for them. He then asked them for ideas and helped them narrow those ideas down. He took the ideas, added melodies and accompaniments, and then shared with the students the final products. 

Mr. Scott's friend, Jose Pienasola, was able to come in to help with the final performances. He brought along his electric bass and amazed the students with his playing, and also his "rock star face!" Together the duo played the finished pieces for the students in music class. You can hear these songs at Mr. Scott's web site: http://www.Jimscottguitar.com - look under "Jim in Schools" for the links!

We are thankful that Mr. Scott was able to share his time and talents with us again this year!!

SHOW OFF DAYS - SPRING 2013

It has truly been our pleasure to watch the Show Off Days of our Floral Street music students this year. We've had singing, dancing, instrument playing, videos, puppet shows, skits, poems, original songs, art work, posters and reports from all grade levels. Each presentation made a connection to music. It was a terrific way for us to get to know our students better. (We only get to see them for forty minutes a week, if we're lucky!) We enjoyed seeing the sharing, the great audience behavior and the mutual respect that happened in the music room. We can't wait to see more in the spring of 2014!!!

Floral Goes Green!!

What an amazing day! At Floral Street School, we celebrated Floral Goes Green today. We saw beetle presentations and heard a local author speak. We made cable television commercials and were able to view other students' work in the hallways. It was an AWESOME day about the earth, our environment and working together!

Rachel Carson said,  "If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder, he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement and mystery of the world we live in."

Thank you to all of the adults at Floral Street School, especially Kara Frankian and Gina Kelly, who made the day so very special and meaningful for us all.

"I am with my friends!"

The past two weeks, we have been celebrating how we are alike and how we are unique. We sang a song called "Amigos" which was in five languages. We realized that we have a lot of languages here at Floral Street School and we celebrated that by translating the song into those languages and making a poster for each translation. This fourth grader, Zoey Araquel, used her creativity (and her own materials, I might add!!!) to make this poster all by her self. It says "I am with my friends. You are all my good friends" in Tagalog. Great job, Zoey!

"America, America" by the Ross Class, May 2013

America, America

Show Off Days Are Coming!

Dear Parent or Caregiver,

As we go through the year, there are many students eager to “show what they know” about music. We don’t have time in a regular music lesson for all of our friends to share something with us, so Mrs. Demarky-Anderson and I have set aside time for “Show Off Day!” Please understand that it is not a performance. It is a sharing time with their classmates. The kids will not have an audience, other than their classmates - the stress level is much lower!

Whether it be playing a piece on the piano, singing a special song from their culture, doing a dance to music, explaining an instrument that they are taking lessons on or showing pictures of that instrument…there are many students that would like to have a chance to show off! We encourage students to share. Please note this is not a requirement of any kind. It is simply a way to fit in all of the special ways children use music in their lives and to make connections.

Anything special that they bring in to share should follow these guidelines:

1.     They should get the family’s permission before bringing anything to school.

2.     It should be labeled clearly with the student’s name and class so that it can be returned if it gets misplaced.

If the children need to use our piano or CD player, we will gladly share.

Please see the list below to determine your student’s sharing day.

We wish you a happy spring and are looking forward to seeing your students shine in the coming weeks.

Sincerely,

Tracy DeBlois and Georgia Demarky-Anderson                                                           

Elementary Music Specialists

Floral Street School

           

Thursday, May 30^th – Frankian, Caforio, Martel, Kelly, Avery and Hogan

Tuesday, June 4^th – Morrissey, Morgan and Ross

Friday, June 7th – Spangenberg, Herring, Edgren, Ralys and McGrail

Monday, June 10^th – Nolli, Suto, Manning, Ushinski, Bisceglia, Goulding, Peterson,

Beall and Richard

Tuesday, June 11^th – Bradt, Grossman and Marold

Wednesday, June 12th – Harrington, Largess, Stanwick, Ward, Poppalardo and Plourde

Help Wanted...

Hello, everyone! 

The Spring Chorus Concerts are looking great! We have help coming from all over the school. The only thing we have left to cover is videotaping the concerts. We are looking for someone to tape each concert for us so that we can watch ourselves in class and assess our performance. If you are already coming to one of the concerts and would be willing to do this, could you please let Mrs. DeBlois know by emailing her at tdeblois@shrewsbury.k12.ma.us as soon as possible? Many thanks!

Musically Yours,

Mrs. DeBlois and Mrs. Demarky Anderson

Chorus Concerts Are Coming!!!

Fourth Grade Students are hard at work preparing for our upcoming Spring Concerts, which will be held on May 8th and 9th. (Please see schedule below for times and details!) We are very proud of their progress and creativity. Looking forward to seeing you soon!

Spring Concerts

May 8, 2013 at 6:30pm Chorus 1 (The Morgan and Ross Classes)

May 8, 2013 at 7:30pm Chorus 2 (The Herring and Spangenberg Classes)

May 9, 2013 at 6:30pm Chorus 3 (The Edgren, Morrissey and Ralys Classes)

All concerts will be held in the cafeteria. All are welcome to attend! 

Students should meet Mrs. Demarky Anderson and Mrs. DeBlois in the Music Room 15 minutes before their concert start time for a quick warm up. Parents, families and friends can drop their students off and head right to the cafeteria to get a good seat.

Creative Kids

We have some super creative kids here at Floral Street School. Here is just one example...

Thank you for sharing this with us, Morgan!!

Special Guest in the Music Room!

We are so excited that Mr. Jim Scott will be with us in the Music Room on Monday mornings for three weeks. He is the dad of Louisa Scott and is also a composer and musician. He performs all over the United States! He will be helping us write songs about some of the things that we have been learning this trimester at Floral Street School. We are very lucky to have him with us again this year to share his time and talent with some of our third grade classes!

You can check him out at...jimscottmusic.com!

Not only is March "Read Across America" month, it is also "Music In Our Schools" month!!
Music and reading really do go hand in hand. Sometimes when you sing a song, you are really telling a story!! Have you read any good, musical books lately?

In music class, we've been reading The Tales of Mr. Treble Clef. In first, second and third grades, we've also read  My Aunt Came Back. We enjoyed singing the echo song and then adding the silly movements.  : )

Since today is March 1st, I just have to end with...Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!!

100 Day at Floral Street School

Just wanted to send you a little "note" to tell you all that we are approaching the 100th Day of school at Floral Street School. As we went through the day here in the Music Room, we had students put one note on the white board every time we caught someone being extra awesome or when we saw a random act of kindness. We did end up with 100 notes at the end of the day. We wanted to share the colorful cheeriness with you!

Happy Hundredth Day of School!

Mrs. DeBlois and Mrs. Demarky Anderson

Music can be fun, when you know the story!

Have you ever listened to a piece of music and said, "That's nice." Then you may learn an interesting fact about the composer, or you may learn that there is a story behind the music...When you listen to it again, you may enjoy it even more.

We found a video of the famous Russian composer, Sergei Prokofiev playing his music Peter and the Wolf for Walt Disney. It was neat to be able to see a real composer sharing his music. Since Prokofiev didn't speak much English, he had an interpreter tell Walt Disney about the music that he was playing on the piano. We hope you like it!

Have a great week ahead,
Mrs. DeBlois and Mrs. Demarky Anderson

Are you watching the Inauguration?

I've heard some great music, so far! From Aaron Copland's "Simple Gifts" (from Appalachian Spring) to "Olympic Fanfare" by John Williams, and even a march or two by John Philip Sousa! Can you name the instruments that you see playing?!?!

See you tomorrow!
Mrs. D.

p.s., The President's Own (the Marine Band playing at the inauguration) has a web site with a kid's page, if you want to check it out! Just click on the link below! : )

Marine Band Website

Random Acts of Kindness...

In the music room today, we were viewing a quick video about the instruments of the orchestra. Unfortunately, in the middle of the video, I had a huge coughing fit. I got up from my chair, blew my nose, sat down and coughed some more. Trying to hide the coughing, I ended up in the closet so that I wouldn't disturb the children's learning. I finally got myself under control and sat back down in my chair. One of the first grade students went over very quietly, not interrupting anyone, and grabbed the tissue box off of the sink. She came over, patted me on the shoulder, handed me the tissue box, and very sweetly said, "Here, Mrs. DeBlois. Now you don't have to keep getting up."

In February, we will be celebrating acts of kindness during our Half School Meetings. I have to tell you...that one little act of kindness made my day! Now I need to "pay it forward" and do something nice for someone else!

As we discussed at our last Half School Meeting, the best things in life really aren't things!

Have a great weekend,
Mrs. D.

Instruments are cool!

All of the students at Floral Street School have been learning about (or reviewing) the instruments of the orchestra. So far, we've looked in depth at the woodwind family and this past week, we've been studying the brass instruments.

One of the stories that is a favorite in the Music Room is "Ben's Trumpet" by Rachel Isadora. Here's a fantastic rendition of the story with some great music to go along with it...

Do YOU play an instrument??

 If so, please leave a comment below and share that information with me!

See you in the Music Room.

-Mrs. D.

Video of the Week...

The Typewriter
By Leroy Anderson
American Composer (1908-1975)

Here's a super fun look at the orchestra with a very peculiar soloist!

Happy New Year!!

2013 is here, and the Music Room is hopping!

We have just begun our Instruments of the Orchestra Unit, which will run through February. It is a very exciting time of year for us...We'll be listening to the story of the Classical Cats, learning about the job of the conductor, and classifying instruments into their family groups. (Can YOU name the four families of instruments in the orchestra?!)

There are a few new things going up under "links" on the right hand side of this page, in case you are looking for them. For example, we just played the Instrument Music Match game today! Check out the Musical Safari for a fun trip through the orchestral instruments with Violet and her Uncle.

Wishing you all a musical New Year...
Mrs. DeBlois and Mrs. Demarky Anderson