#17 January/February 2016

Post date: Feb 4, 2016 4:08:25 PM

Happy New Year!

The beginning of the calendar year always passes quickly in the Music Room, following the intensity of the Winter Concert in December. Two weeks ago we were very fortunate to welcome musical guests Fire Pond for an all-school performance. This folk music duo from Northfield came and sang to us in a variety of languages including Mandarin, French, Spanish, Siswati and another African language with clicks. They had props and visuals and at least five instruments. It was a rich experience for the HES community!

We are grateful to the Hatfield Cultural Council and the Massachusetts Cultural Council for making the Fire Pond performance possible.

A new highlight of the early elementary music program is a focus on improvisatory singing. In addition to regular echo solos, children in grades PK-2 now have weekly opportunities to make up their own (very) short songs in class. To make this a playful experience, we are visited by Signora Cantante, a dragon puppet from Ariosoland who only understands singing voices. Every week she has a new question for the students: what makes you happy? What did you eat for breakfast? What do you do for fun? Each child in PK-2 can choose to sing an answer or pass.

Other highlights of current Music class activities:

  • Third grade is learning about stringed instruments of the violin family: what they sound like, what they are made of, and the names and functions of their parts.
  • Fourth grade is adding new notes to their repertoire in recorder.
  • Fifth grade is learning about programmatic music, which is instrumental music that tells a story without words.
  • Sixth grade is learning new chords on guitar independently in preparation for a class sing-along.

It is a pleasure to teach your children. As always, please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or feedback.

Musically yours,

Jessica