Veterans Day Assembly

The annual Bluffsview Veterans Day Assembly will be held on Thursday, November 11th at 9:30 in the morning in the gymnasium. Parents and Veterans are welcome to attend. Any visitors should arrive with ample time to check into the office prior to heading in to the gym. The Bluffsview Music Makers and the Bluffsview Drama Club will be performing as part of the assembly.

Music Makers should wear their tee shirts and black pants or skirts with nice shoes. Drama Club members should wear red, white, and blue (unless the are also a member of Music Makers).

The Music Room is SMART!

New to the Bluffsview Music Room this year: a SMART Board!

Learning Recorder

Would you believe that the recorder is an instrument that has been around since Medieval times? That was nearly 1500 years ago! And yet, through it's transformation from integral melodic instrument of the orchestra to beginning children's music instrument, the recorder is still relevant today.

Fourth grade students will begin to learn to play the recorder this year. Fifth and Sixth grade students will continue and grow upon their skills developed in past years. The recorder is an excellent instrument for the elementary music classroom because of it's ease in portibility as well as use. Anyone can learn to play the recorder!

Playing the recorder this year will not only help students become better music readers, but also more intelligent musicians all around. Students have to read rhythms and pitches while controlling their breath and fine motor skills in their fingers all while creating beautiful music. Success in learning to play the recorder is a wonderful boost to the self esteem of any child, even if he/she has taken private music lessons for years.

For students without private lesson experience, playing the recorder offers the opportunity for individual intervention in the development of their skills. By learning to play a solo, students are able to critically judge their own performance and receive individual attention from me.

Students in 4th, 5th, and 6th grade have the opportunity to purchase a recorder of their own for $5.00 . I will continue to take orders through the end of September. The recorders come from Peripole Bergeralut and are an excellent quality instrument designed with students in mind. Please send cash or checks (made payable to Bluffsview PTA) to Mrs. Hogan by September 29th, 2010.

I strongly recommend the purchase of a recorder for your child. This will be an instrument that he/she will continue to use for the rest of their time with me in music at Bluffsview Elementary. Having an instrument of their own means that your child will be able to practice at home and increase their skills even more. Please consider this small investment in your child's musical future.

Encouraging a Musical Child

So many times I am asked, "My child wants to take _______ lessons (insert instrument here...voice, piano, guitar, etc). Do you know any local teachers to recommend?"

I am always thrilled with these questions because I appreciate parents who want to encourage and foster musical growth in their children. I always refer parents to a few places, and want to share that same information here with you today.

Colonial Music in Worthington is a great place to start for a wide variety of musical needs. They have a running list of music teachers offering lessons in brass, woodwind, string, and percussion instruments as well as piano, guitar, and voice. They also offer instrument rentals and repairs, as well as a wide variety of methods books and sheet music. Their contact information is:
5598 North High St.
Worthington, OH
(614) 880-1000
www.musicarts.com

If you're soley looking for piano lessons, you may want to check out The Conservatory of Piano in Worthington:
60 Old West Wilson Bridge Road
Worthington, Ohio 43085
(614) 436-6076
www.conservatoryofpiano.com

I hope that you find this information useful!

Welcome Back to School!

As hard as it may be to believe, summer is nearly over and it is time once again to return to school. I hope everyone had a fun and relaxing summer and is refreshed and ready to start a new year. I am looking forward to seeing all 440 of your smiling faces next week!

Please check back here frequently throughout the school year to find out important information regarding various aspects of the music department at Bluffsview. I will be regularly updating this blog with details about ordering recorders, joining Music Makers, assemblies, performance dates and times, and even samples of work going on in the music room.

Don't forget to try out some of the links to the right! These are wonderful music sites for the whole family. They include fun games as well as opportunities to learn more about music.

So stay "in tune" with the "beat" of the Bluffsview Music Room and visit this blog frequently! And I will see you next week!

~Mrs. Hogan

Summer Music Camps and Local Children's Choirs

Some wonderful opportunities for camps this summer as well as children’s choirs around town have come across my desk. Here are some details if you are looking for a musical activity for your child:

“Arts Have Heart” summer camp at Otterbein College, July 19th – 23rd
-day camp for children, grades 2-5
-art and music classes daily from 9AM – Noon
-all classes in the A/C Batelle Fine Arts Center
-reading music, singing, playing instruments, movement activities
-art projects about shape, line, balance, form, and more
-Instructors: Amy Chivington and Gretchen Cochran
-Call 614-823-1110 or email achivington@otterbein for information

“Broadway2LA” Acting Camps for Teen and Kids
-3 different weeks for Teens (13-18): June 14-18, July 12-16, August 2-6
-3 different weeks for Kids (6-12): June 21-25, July 19-23, August 9-13
-Kids broken up into age groups of 6-9 and 10-12
-Location: the Historic Ohio Theatre, 39 East State Street
-Camps run from 9AM – 3PM
-learn the basics of acting in theatre, film, television, and commercials
-Instructors: Chad J. Willett, Andy Falter, Ray Conrad
-Contact the Broadway2LA Acting Studio for information and registration:
614-572-9005 info@broadway2LA.com Broadway2LA website

Columbus International Children’s Choir
-now enrolling new members ages 4-18
-choir season is from September to May
-rehearsals on Saturdays at North Congregational United Church of Christ
-For more information: 614-789-9392 or www.cmaacademy.org

Con Brio! Children’s Choir
-placement interviews being scheduled on Thursdays in May and June, with additional interviews scheduled as needed
-Worthington community based children’s and youth choral program for singers age 4-17
-concert season is September through May
-rehearsals are on Thursday evenings at Slate Hill Elementary
-Worthington Music Educators are among the staff:
Emily DePaul Gil (Slate Hill); Lori Gustina (Worthington Hills)
-Contact: 614-315-6312 or www.conbrio.cc

Here’s hoping you have a musical summer! Enjoy!

Congratulations Music Makers!

A big congratulations to the Music Makers on three wonderful performances of "Rock and Roll Forever." Every performance was filled with happy audience members who truly enjoyed themselves.

Our last meeting of the year will be this Wednesday, May 12th at 11:30. We will watch a video of our performance, enjoy a treat, and celebrate another great year of singing!

Music Makers Present, "Rock and Roll Forever"

Next week is a big week for our Bluffsview Music Makers. Students will be performing their spring show, "Rock and Roll Forever" three times next week. Don't miss these performances:

Thursday, May 6th at 1:30 PM and 7:00 PM in the Bluffsview Gymnasium. Students should report to the music room by 6:45 PM for the evening performance.

Saturday, May 8th at 10:30 AM at the Griswold Center in Downtown Worthington for the Kiwanis Scholarship Pancake Breakfast. Students should arrive at the Griswold Center by 10:15 AM. Street address is 777 North High Street, just north of the Presbyterian Church.

Please invite family and friends to attend the show at the Griswold Center. It's a great opportunity to have a nice pancake breakfast while enjoying the show, with all proceeds from the breakfast going to the Kiwanis Scholarship program for high school seniors. Breakfast tickets are $5.00, and children under 8 eat for free with a paying adult. Performers will receieve a ticket to eat for free.

Be there or be square!

Vivaldi's "Spring"

Kindergarten students listened to the first movement of the "Spring" concerto by Antonio Vivaldi, and created these drawings. This piece of music was revolutionary when it was written in the late 1700's in the sense that Vivaldi wanted his audience to think of specific things when they listened to the music. Vivaldi even went as far as to write notes in the margins of the music indicating things like the chirping of birds and buzzing of bees, the gentle breezes and calm babbling brooks, the violence of a thunderstorm, and the rising of the sun. After listening and discussing these elements, Kindergarten students used creative movement and then finally artwork to further connect to the music. This is just a sample of some of the artwork created.

"Make Your Own Instrument" 2010

Here is a slide show with a few examples of some of the instruments created by the 4th grade students this year.

Hot Cross Buns with Orff Accompaniment

Listen to the Fourth Graders playing "Hot Cross Buns" on the recorder with Orff Accompaniment.

4th Grade Instrument Project

Fourth Graders are studying the science of sound and how it relates to instruments. All instruments can be classified scientifically one of four ways, based on how their sound is produced: Chordophones (vibration of strings), Aerophones (vibration of air), Membranophones (vibration of skin), or Idiophones (vibration of self).

Students have the assignment of constructing an instrument of their own, must be able to identify their instrument's scientific classification, and must complete written directions for the construction of their instrument. All instruments and written directions are due on Thursday, March 18th, 2010.

Students will be given time in music class to browse books on instrument construction as well as make notes for their ideas. In addition, the following websites have wonderful ideas to assist in this project:

How to make an African Drum
Artists Helping Children
E-How videos on instrument construction
How Stuff Works
Busy Bee Kids Crafts
Making Musical Instruments on essortment.com
Mudcat Kids
Kinderart.com
Family Crafts from About.com
Family Fun instrument crafts
Nancymusic.com
Rhythmweb.com Homemade instruments

I hope this list is helpful! AND I can't wait to see what instruments make their way into my room next week! Good Luck!

Worthington Elementary Honors Choir 2010

Don't miss a GREAT concert on Monday, March 8th at 7:00 PM in the Kilbourne Middle School Auditorium. A select group of fifth and sixth grade students from Worthington elementary schools have come together to form the very first Worthington Elementary Honors Choir. Middle School Vocal Music Teachers Mrs. Griffin (Worthingway), Mrs. Seneck (Kilbourne Middle), Mrs. Bates (McCord), and Ms. Pohl (Perry/Phoenix) have teamed up to direct this talented group of young singers.

Bluffsview students selected for this choir include sixth graders Abby Piecenski, Tyra Harris, and Audrey Shih, as well as fifth grade students Alex Reid, Sarah Napoli, Abby Chilcoat, Leah Berning, Justine Shih, and Madison Crawford. Congratulations to these students, who have shown their love and dedication to singing!

So if you're looking for something to do on Monday night, consider attending their concert. They have worked very hard and sound amazing!

2010 Music Olympics

Students have been participating in the "2010 Music Olympics." Events include Rhythm, Melody, Timbre, Vocal Performance, and Instrumental Performance. Medal Ceremonies will be occurring next week. Ask your child for more details about this fun event!

Research Confirms Brain Link for Words and Music

A very interesting article on msnbc.com about recent research linking words and music to the same areas in the brain; suggesting that intensive musical therapy may help improve speech in stroke patients as well as children with dyslexia and autism.

Click here to read the article.

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

Sixth grade students have begun their study of Baroque and Classical composers, starting with J.S. Bach. Ask a sixth grader which country Bach was from, which instruments were his specialties, where he worked for most of his life, and whether or not he was famous during his lifetime (and why). Students might also enjoy sharing some of the more quirky facts about Bach, like the fact that he was married twice and had 20 children, or that recordings of his compositions were launched into space with the Voyager space craft in 1977.

One of Bach's most notable compositions, the Toccata and Fugue in D minor, is a superb example of contrapuntal music, where two or more voices or instruments share portions of the melody and weave in and out of one another. After a chance to listen to this piece, sixth grade students were asked to create a piece of artwork that allowed them to connect to the music in a meaningful way. Below you will see several examples of student artwork, accompanied by just a portion of this great masterpiece by J.S. Bach. Enjoy!

Congratulations Third and Fifth Graders!

What a wonderful performance of "Seasons of Sound." Many congratulations to the third and fifth graders for all their hard work in preparing for this music program.

Thanks also to classroom teachers: Mrs. Monroe, Mrs. Saffell, Mrs. Williams, Mrs. Gulla, Mrs. Smucker, and Mr. Hale. And to the Related Arts teachers, Mrs. Collins, Miss Ciaffoncini, and Mr. Wilson, who assisted in rehearsals.

Thanks to Mr. Porter and Mr. Hodges for their help in setting up equipment for the performance, as well as to the Bluffsview PTA for their continued support of the music program.

Don't Miss "Seasons of Sound!"

The Third and Fifth Graders are ready to perform their music program, "Seasons of Sound," this week! Don't miss their performance the coming Thursday, February 4th at 1:30 PM and 7:00 PM.

Students are reminded of their call time at 6:45 PM in the music room. Dress is black pants or skirts and a solid color top. Fifth graders should bring their recorders, if applicable.

See you Thursday!

Elementary Honors Choir Update

I just received word from the Middle School Choir Teachers that there have been some changes in rehearsal times for the Elementary Honors Choir 2010. Both Fifth and Sixth grade students will rehearse at the same time, instead of separately as originally planned. Please make note of the following information:

Rehearsal Times (McCord MS):
Wednesdays, Feb. 10, Feb. 17, Feb. 24
All students will rehearse from 6:45 to 7:45 PM
Please arrive 10 minutes early to each rehearsal.

Dress Rehearsal (Kilbourne MS):
Wednesday, March 3
All students will rehearse from 6:45 to 7:45 PM
Please arrive 10 minutes early to the rehearsal.

Concert (Kilbourne MS):
Monday, March 8
50 East Dublin Granville Road, Worthington, OH 43085
Everyone report at 6:30 PM
Concert at 7:00 PM
Concert dress is the Honors Choir shirt and nice jeans

Program Information

Our music program is quickly approaching and before we know it, it will be showtime!

3rd and 5th grade students will perform for their peers on Thursday, February 4th at 1:30 in the afternoon, and then again at 7:00 PM for you and your family. Both performances will occur in the Bluffsview Gym.

In the evening, students will be asked to report to the music room no later than 6:45 PM. Please have them leave their coats with you as you take your seats in the gym. Dress for this performance will be black pants or skirts and any plain color top, preferably with as little design or writing as possible.

Please mark you calendars now, if you have not already, for these special performances. The students have been working incredibly hard and are excited to perform for you! If you find that your child is unable to attend the performance, please send a note to school or write me a quick email so that I can plan accordingly (chogan@worthington.k12.oh.us).

Finally, there will be many instruments and pieces of equipment set up in the gym as you arrive. Please be attentive to younger (and older) children to ensure that things are left in their proper places for our performers. Thank you for your cooperation.

See you on February 4th!