Music Notes for October

Halloween has come and gone for another year and colder temperatures continue to descend upon us.  But that's okay because in the Music room we have been busy keeping things warm, fun and upbeat!  Here's what's been happening:

"Une Colombe" (A Dove) by Celine Dion

Une columbe est partie en voyage
Autour du monde elle porte son message
De paix, d'amour et d'amitié
De paix, d'amour a partager
Et c'est sa jeunesse qui la fait voler

Our students have been practicing Verse One of this beautiful song in preparation for our upcoming Remembrance Day Assembly (Nov. 8).  Our focus has been on singing in unison using actions.  Ask your child to show you the actions for the following lyrics:

• une colombe  
• en voyage
• autour du monde
• son message
• de paix
• d'amour
• d'amitié
• a partager
• voler         

Grade One

• "Four Voices"(expression) - a poem about voices we use to express ourselves:  speaking, whispering (quiet), yelling (loud) and singing.
• "Chante toi ton nom" (singing) - matching our voices to the tones heard.
• "I Think Music's Neat!" (rhythm) - preparing for quarter notes by using a steady beat
• "Gobble, Gobble, Gobble" (rhythm, singing, moving) - a Thanksgiving game similar to "Duck, Duck, Goose".
• Djembes (playing instruments) - learning basic playing technique, communicating without using words ("Rumble", "Do You Like..."), partner work, playing as "one voice" (teamwork), steady beat.
• Halloween (singing, moving, literacy) - "C'est l'Halloween", "La chanson des squelettes", "If You're Spooky and You Know It..." and "Five Little Pumpkins" (action songs).

Grade Two

• Move and Freeze (moving) - exploring with movement (eg. marching) and body shapes; partner work.
• Djembes (playing instruments) - playing bass (goon, doon) and treble (go, doe) tones, playing technique (eg. flat hand, fingers together), practicing patterns (walking and running), "Rumble" (expressing our feelings), "The Echo Game" (a listening game), practicing steady beat, aiming for "one voice" (teamwork).
• "Mabel, Mabel" - a Thanksgiving circle game about setting the table for dinner.
• "Trick or Treat" - learning about sections in music (A B), moving to a half-note beat
• Half Notes, Quarter Notes, Eighth Notes:  Hearing the Difference (rhythm) - playing these note values with a steady beat on the djembes.

Grade Three

• Music Listening - class opener; listening to various styles (genres) of music.
• Rockin' Dynamics - comparing our feelings to the following dynamic symbols:  piano (quiet), mezzo forte (medium loud) and forte (loud).
• Djembes - playing technique, teamwork/"one voice", small group work incorporating movement and non-pitched rhythm instruments.

Please do not hesitate to email me if you have any questions.  Thank you 😊

May each day begin and end on a beautiful note! ♫