Welcome to the music department at Dutchess Day! Please check this site regularly to see what we are working on in classes and rehearsals!
Happy New Year!
Sixth graders returned from winter break to begin construction of their own A
ppalachian mountain dulcimer. Students designed the artwork for the body of the instrument, and also had to stain the fretboard and then painstakingly attach the tuning mechanisms with very small nails and screws. Working with a buddy was the best way!
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Onward, into October!
The fourth grade has spent a few classes putting together a 3 part Orff xylophone accompaniment to the song, Music is You. It took some effort, and some discovery and discussion of what keeps a musical ensemble together to make it work, but the success was sweet. After listening to two contrasting examples of early Baroque music and trying some movement activities to illustrate both form and mood of these pieces, we’ll return later this week to our Orff orchestra and work on the Carribbean folk song, Rookoombine, which has five different xylophone parts!
The seventh grade has been creating personal music history timelines, according to their own lives. They began this process after seeing excerpts from the PBS award winning film Music from the Inside Out. In the film, members of the reknowned Philadelphia Orchestra share memories and thoughts of how music from childhood and thoughout their lives shaped the music they play and listen to, both in the orchestra and beyond. Many of their outside musical interests surprised us! It took some jogging of memories, but soon the floodgates opened and tales of nursery school talent shows and memories of songs that were sung to them as toddlers started to come back.
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We’re underway!
After starting with the famous bubble test, during which each third grader demonstrated the ability to blow a soap bubble the size of his/her fist showing breath control, the third graders have now mastered Hot Cross Buns, Mary Had a Little Lamb, as well as the upbeat, nearly danceable favorite, You and Me! With three notes securely under their fingers, the sound gets clearer and gentler with each class.
Similarly, the eighth graders have command of the first few chords on their guitars and since they are such a class of singers were heard playing and singing even after just two classes!
As promised to them at the end of 4th grade, the new fifth graders now know the secret to the sword dance star and have had some success trying it out. Don’t ask them to reveal it. They are sworn to secrecy!
The sixth grade has begun rehearsal of their fall musical, Follow that Rabbit! Auditions were completed last week and parts given out on Monday morning.
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