End of the year

The end of the school year is here. We have had a wonderful year. The band has worked hard and has put together a concert for this week. If you are able to be here on Thursday, May 17, we have two times for you ta attend. The first is 8:15am, right after school starts. This gives parents that drop children off a chance to attend. The second time is 2:00pm so that parents who come to pick students up after school have an opportunity to hear the concert. The Second grades will also perform at both concerts. They will be singing several folk songs and two Mothers Day songs. We hope that as many of you  will attend as possible. The students have all worked hard in preparing this Spring Concert.

 See you all next year!

Rachmaninov's birthday

April is the birth month of Sergei Rachmaninoff, one of the greatest piano players to ever live. He was a Russian who achieved recognition as a concert pianist late in life. He was a conductor, but found that he was unable to achieve financial success and stability as only a conductor. He turned back to performing as a pianist and was very successful. He had an incredible ability to learn and retain music which made him the envy of many of his fellow players. They thought it unfair that so much talent should be given to one person. Listen to one of his many recordings to be amazed by this amazing player.

March Composer Birthdays

March is the month that saw the birth of four great composer: J.S. Bach, Franz Josef Haydn, Frederic Chopin, and Bela Bartok. Bach was a Baroque composer, considered to be one of the greateast of all time. He wrote many sacred pieces during his lifetime, and his works are still studied and performed today. Haydn was a prolific composer, writing in most of the forms of his day. Chopin was the composer for the piano. He was one of the best pianists of his day and his compositions for the piano are unrivaled. He lived a short life, but one that made great contributions to music. Bartok is the least well known of theses composers, but was important in the development of music in the early 1900's. Take some time to listen to music by these composers during this month. You will be glad you did.

February is the month of Mardi Gras in New Orleans. This is a week of parties and music, especially that all-American form of music known as jazz. Jazz started in New Orleans at the end of the 1800's and beginning of the 1900's. This is one of the few types of music that we can say with certainty where is started. Jazz came from the African slaves, the West Indes, the Creoles, and the church. All these forms contributed to and combined to make jazz. This month, take a few minutes to listen to jazz and enjoy this uniquely American art form.

February is also Black history month. One of the greatest musicians of all time was Louis Armstrong, a trumpet player and singer for New Orleans. He had his share of Mardis Gras fun during his lifetime, and was even a key part of the parade one year. His style influenced many singers, including Bing Crosby, Tony Bennet, and most of the early radio stars.

January is the birth month of many famous musicians. Two of them are Mozart and Elvis Presley. Mozart was born in 1756 and became one of the most famous pianists and composers of his time. His music is lively and playful and is still performed by symphonies around the world. Elvis was born in 1935 and became the King of Rock and Roll, as well as a successful movie actor. Both died at relatively young ages, and both still have an impact and influence on music today.

The winter concert was a great success. The band and the 4th grades performed superbly during both concerts. I would like to thank the students for working as hard as they did to make the concert a success. I also thank the parents who were able to come and see their children perform. I plan to have a concert in the spring and will post the time as soon as I know when we can have it.

The band and the 4th grade winter concert is Friday, December 16. Times are 9:30-10:15 am for K-3d grade, and 10:15-11:00 am for 5th-8th grade. Parents are invited and encouraged to attend and support the musical efforts of their children. There is limited seating in the sanctuary, especially with all of the school coming to the concert, so get there early for a good seat.

The children have worked diligently for several months to prepare and are sounding very good in practices.