Hello 3rd grade parents!
We are having an amazing time in music this year!  I wanted to give you and your student a "heads-up" with what we will be doing in the next 2 weeks.  We have gone over the main musical families: strings, woodwinds, brass and percussion as well as different world instruments.  We took notes as we went because next week your student is going to write an essay on which instrument they would like to learn to play and why.  (This is great preparation for when they get to choose an instrument in 5th grade).  Once they have completed the essay in class they get their very  own musical instrument to bring home – it’s a surprise what it will be!!

The following week we will also be incorporating engineering (STEM) into our lesson by designing and building their own musical instrument.  This will be due the week of March 6th after we have gone through the design process in class.  Could you as parents help your student by saving tissue boxes, paper towel rolls etc. that your student could make a musical instrument out of AT HOME and bring to school to share.  If this project seems overwhelming and you are worried about your student's grade -- don't worry!   We will do an alternate activity at school if doing this project at home is too much! Here are  some internet links with ideas:

Strings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHB-tT6Vi88

Brass: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzvuE7Y48-U

 

Woodwinds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ne8Jq_UwPSo

Percussion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHFqi5tXYLI

With that being said, please keep your student's musical instruments at home until after March 6th -- I know some students are very excited and have made their instrument already but I don't have space to store 80 more instruments!

Always, if you have any questions, don't hesitate to e-mail me!
Mrs. Ahlborn

Hello 4th graders!

Here is the Classics for Kids composing link http://www.classicsforkids.com/games/compose/compose.html

Be sure and send your compositions to me and maybe we will play them in class!

Hello 7th grade orchestra parents!

Here are the links to mutes.

violin/viola - http://a.co/7LhBpXt

cello -   http://a.co/1PUivQM

Hello 7th and 8th grade orchestra parents!

This year we are going to the Charter Festival in West Valley at the American Preparatory Academy.  Festival is when we perform in front of 2-3 judges who adjudicate us and give us a rating between 1 and 4.  1 is the highest or Superior, 2 is Excellent, 3 is Good and 4 is Fair.  One of the judges then comes up afterward and works with students and gives ideas on how we can improve.  We will be working very hard to do our very best.

 

The Festival will be on Friday March 3 in West Valley and we will be assigned a performance time between 11am and 6pm.  (The earlier the better, right?)  I will let you know as soon as I can what our performance time will be.  

 

We will also be performing our Festival pieces at a school concert on March 1st at 7pm.  This allows us the chance to perform in front of an audience before we perform in front of a judge.  (You can also give your student feedback on what we can do better).

 

Thanks so much for your support!

Mrs. Ahlborn

Hello and Happy Holidays!

Dec. 14th is our Orchestra Holiday concert.  5th grade orchestra and 7th grade orchestra will be performing at 6:30pm.  6th grade orchestra and 8th grade orchestra will be performing at 7:30pm.  We have to divide the orchestras up like this because of auditorium space issues.

 

Please mark your calendars now.  If your student cannot make it to the concert (which is like their term exam), parents need to contact me asap and I will assign your student an alternate activity for the points lost.

 

Can't wait to see you then!

Mrs. Ahlborn