It's almost the end of September and Elaine's students and Anita's students are learning how to play the Orff instruments upward and downward. We sing "Hickory Dickory Dock" while playing the xylophones on the words "up" and "down", the gong on "one", and the temple blocks throughout the song with a very distinct "tic-toc".

Playing on key words like this is pre-rhythm study. In the middle of the school year these young musicians will internalize a 4-beat phrase and let the instruments "say" the words. Visualizing musical notes now is done with pictures rather than noteheads.
Look for a notation of "Mouse, Mousie" to come home soon. Ask your child to sing it to you while pointing to the "notes".

Mrs. Carpenter's class just received their recorders and will begin play this wind instrument on September 28. Recorders at Summers-Knoll School are used as part of the whole ensemble of pitched and unpitched instruments. Recorders can be used as the voice would be used- as the melody.

Reneta's class is learning the new fingering to use on the larger alto recorders. Mike, Max,Peter and Maria have had some experience with these. I know that Alec and Parker will be able to pick up the new fingering somewhat quickly. The current song we are working on-"Knoll Island"-is brown belt worthy! Instead of karate belts, these students can be awarded recorder belts for successfully playing certain pieces.
Let's hope those recorders are filled with lots of color and jewels by May.

Ensembles Make Harmony By Working Together

We are moving, playing our pitched instruments in C pentatonic (Ask your child about burgers and fries if they are in Mrs. Carpenter's or Renata's classes), warming up soprano recorders in Renatta's class and working on music literacy with rhythm.

We will be attending one UMS concert this year as a school. Susan's classes and Renata's classes will also be attending the Ann Arbor Symphony's Youth Concert in March. I'll let you know more about that soon.

We will "play" new instuments on Wednesday that are really old and well-weathered: railroad spikes! Anita's class and Elaine's class are taking turns being the beat leader.

Soon we will learn a piece of music from Northern Africa. We'll share at our dinner in October. It's so good to be making music with these young musicians! -Jan