Contemporary Music
Love Make the World Go Round
Chamber Choir students had the opportunity to record a song with Carlmont Choirs! In this acapella version of "Love Make the World Go Round" by Lin-Manuel Miranda & Jennifer Lopez, our student learned the solo vocal line while the Carlmont singers recorded the accompaniment. Written after the 2016 Orlando shooting, this anthem expresses a collective emotion of the power of love & empathy, even in the midst of tragedy
Hip-Hop Compositions
6th Grade Orchestra & 6th Grade Chorus Students explored the history, elements, and storytelling traditions of hip-hop music In groups, students created their own hip-hop compositions on SoundTrap using electronic beats, loops, and sound effects to tell a story
Social Justice Compositions
As the Chamber Orchestra & Chamber Choir students learned about Anthems and Freedom Songs from the 1950s through today, they took that inspiration to create their own Social Justice Compositions using SoundTrap. Chamber Choir students made their compositions with SoundTrap loops and instruments, while Chamber Orchestra students wrote melodies for their instruments that they mixed in a hip-hop style
Contemporary Music and the Natural World
Ralston’s Advanced Orchestra learned about how contemporary musicians, composers, and scientists are creating art that illustrates important realities around nature, the environment, and environmental justice.
They listened to important works of early sampling such as Respighi’s “Pines of Rome.” They also played the first movement from The Forest of Tears (2005) by local Bay Area composer, Dr. Ron Miller, who arranged the version especially for the ensemble.
They learned to play classical repertoire, such as “March of the Lions” by Saint-Saens and listened to a contemporary re-imagining of Carnival of the Animals (2014) that incorporated electronics and translated scientific data and soundscape recordings into an orchestral suite. After finally learning about young activist artists who are turning music into amplifiers for environmental justice, Ralston students turned around and created their own compositions that utilized hip-hop and modern composition techniques.