Date Change

Please note:  The Music Makers Spring Concert which was previously announced as Thursday, May 10th, 2012 has now been changed to Thursday, May 3rd, 2012.  This is to accommodate a high school strings concert on which some of our Bluffsview students will be performing.  Thanks!

Music Makers Holiday Caroling

The Bluffsview Music Makers will once again be singing some of their favorite carols and holiday songs for the residents of Trillium Place on Saturday, December 3rd, 2011.  Members are asked to report to the main atrium area by 2:15pm and the singing will begin at 2:30pm.  Members should wear their Music Makers t-shirts and black pants or skirts.  Family members are welcome to attend, but please leave the seats for Trillium residents.  We hope to see you there as we try to spread a little holiday cheer!

Updates from the Music Room!

♫ Concert Dates are set for the school year. Fifth grade students are already hard at work for their concert on February 2nd, 2012. Third grade students will soon begin preparations for their concert on March 27th, 2012. The Bluffsview Music Makers will perform their spring concert on May 10th, 2012.

♫ Congratulations to the members of The Bluffsview Music Makers on a wonderful performance as part of our school’s Veterans Day Assembly. You sang beautifully and many people spoke of how touched they were by your performance.

♫ There’s been a visitor in the music room recently. Jemma Dougherty, or “Miss D” as the kids have been calling her, is a student teacher from Otterbein who has been with us at Bluffsview this fall. Miss Dougherty will continue to work with our students until just before winter break. Be sure to say hello and welcome her to our school if you have not done so already!

♫ Words of Wisdom as we enter the holiday season:
“Sing a song, spread some cheer. Give the gift of MUSIC this year!”

Author Visit: Musical Connection

Jeanette and Christopher Canyon (click here to go to their website) will be visiting Bluffsview in a few short weeks! Their picture books are amazing, but did you know that Christopher Canyon is a musician as well?  The music of John Denver has been very influential in Christopher Canyon's life and has served as inspiration for three of his books.  He has adapted and illustrated songs like Sunshine on My Shoulders, Country Roads, and Grandma's Feather Bed.  Part of the Canyon's presentation to the school will involve a sing along of some of these songs, led by Christopher Canyon.  If you're not familiar with the beautiful folk music of John Denver, click on the links below to view some YouTube videos of his performances.  Thank you to Mrs. Collins, the Bluffsview Librarian, for arranging such a special visit by the Canyon's!  I personally am looking forward to it very much!

Sunshine on My Shoulders
Country Roads
Grandma's Feather Bed

Recorders, Oh My!

Students in the 4th grade are THRILLED to begin learning to play the recorder. Very soon the music room will be filled with the first sqeaks and sqwaks of students learning to master this historic instrument. At first, it will sound like noise. With some practice, we will begin to make beautiful music together.

Part of mastering this instrument is the ability to practice at home in a quiet space. While students are able to practice at school, often times it is difficult to hear yourself individually when playing in a large group in the music room. Those beginning weeks are a crucial time for experimentation and practice on one's own. Recorders are also part of the music curriculum in 5th and 6th grade, so students are learning skills that will carry them through the remainder of their time at Bluffsview.

There are recorders in the music room that students may borrow during class, which are then washed and disinfected for future use. If you would like your child to have the opportunity to practice the recorder at home, your child will need their own instrument. Orders for recorders can be placed until Friday, September 30th, 2011. Recorders are $5.00, which covers the cost of tax and shipping as well. Instruments come with their own carrying case and a special neck strap called a "halo."

If you are the parent of a 5th or 6th grader and your child needs a recorder for any reason, you may also place an order at this time. If you would like to place an order for a recorder, please send $5.00 cash or check (payable to the Bluffsview PTA) in an envelope marked with your child's name and homeroom teacher to Ms. Hogan by September 30th, 2011.

New Youth Choir Comes to Worthington

A new youth choir is coming to Worthington, with placement auditions happening in the next few weeks. Capriccio! Kids is the newest choir overseen by Larry Griffin, Artistic Director of Capriccio! Vocal Ensemble and Vocal Music Director at Worthington Kilbourne High School. For detailed information about Capriccio! Kids, click here.

Children's Choir Camp Opportunity

I am pleased to inform you of an exciting choir camp opportunity for Bluffsview students who are currently in 3rd-6th grade. Capriccio! Vocal Ensemble, a community choir of 80 singers, directed by Mr. Larry Griffin is conducting a FREE children's choir camp in June for students who are interested in joining his new group, Capriccio Kids!

Capriccio Kids! debuted with the Central Ohio Symphony and The Ohio Weselyan Choral Art Society earlier this year. Next fall, Capriccio Kids! will rehearse once a week in two choirs (grades 3-5 and grades 6-8) and perform on two main concerts with Capriccio! Vocal Ensemble (December and June) in addition to a few community performances as they arise.

To kick off the opening season, there will be a summer Capriccio Kids! choir camp for all students interesed in auditioning for the group. The camp will run on Wednesday, June 15th and Thursday, June 16th from 9:00AM to 3:00PM at Bluffsview Elementary School.

The best part is that this two-day choir camp is FREE!!!!!! Students should pack a lunch for each day of camp. There will also be a sharing concert at the close of camp on Thursday at 3:00PM that is open to family and friends.

Please contact Capriccio Kids! director, Alyson Bates, at alyson_s_bates@yahoo.com by Friday, June 10th to reserve a space for your child at camp. Further information will be given upon your reply.

What a great opportunity for our students - FREE, and happening at our own school! I hope many of you sign up for camp and audition to join Capriccio Kids! in the fall.

Music Makers Spring Concert

The Bluffsview Music Makers are nearly ready to present their spring concert next week. The show is titled, "A Little Bit of Showbiz" and we hope you enjoy it! Performances are scheduled for Thursday, May 12th, at 1:30 and 7:00 PM in the Bluffsview Gymnasium.

Students should wear their Music Makers t-shirts and jeans for both performances. Call time for the evening is 6:45 PM in the music room.

We look forward to performing for you! Don't miss our show!

Congratulations Third Grade!

Congratulations to the Third Grade classes on a WONDERFUL performance last week! The Bluffsview students were incredibly entertained by your afternoon performance, and the parents loved the evening performance just as much! I am so proud of all the hard work you put into preparing for this show. Thank you for the beautiful flowers; they are sitting on my piano at home. I look forward to having many of your wonderful singing voices in Music Makers next year!

Ms. Hogan

Attention Third Grade Parents!

As mentioned in the December/January Bluffsview Newsletter, and the “save the date” note sent home earlier this month, your children are in the midst of preparing for a musical program entitled, “It’s Easy Being Green” on WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20th, 2011 (in conjunction with Earth Day on April 22nd).

Students will perform for their peers at 1:30 in the afternoon, and then again at 7:00 PM for you and your family. Both performances will occur in the gymnasium.

In the evening, students will be asked to report to the music room no later than 6:45PM. Please have them leave any coats and/or personal items with you as you take your seats in the gym. I’ve had some issues with cell phones this year, so please keep those items with you, and not your child, when they are performing.

Dress for this performance will be jeans and any blue, green or white top. Bluffsview spiritwear is acceptable, but any other logos should be kept to a minimum, if possible.

Please mark your calendars now for these special performances. If you find that your family has a conflict and your child will be unable to attend, please send me a quick note or email (chogan@worthington.k12.oh.us) so that I can plan accordingly.

The students are working tremendously hard and are excited to share their musical talents with you! I look forward to seeing you on April 20th!

Musically Yours,

Ms. Hogan

Bach Toccata and Fugue in D minor

Sixth Grade Music Students listened to the Toccata and Fugue in D minor by Johann Sebastian Bach and created these pieces of art in response to their listening.

Look for patterns and lines, and lightness and darkness. These elements are present in the music and reflect a style of composition popular during the Baroque Period
(1600-1750) called “contrapuntal” voicing. Multiple voices or instruments musically chase one another and the melodies weave in and out of one another. Contrasts in volume, tonality, and tone color add excitement to music from this time period as well.

Fourth 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 Tuesday, March 22nd, 2011.

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 in the next weeks! Good Luck!

January Update

♫ Music Makers had a wonderful time spreading some holiday cheer by singing for the residents of Trillium Place in December. Many of the residents stopped to personally thank me for your wonderful performance. Thank you to these students who are not only committed to music, but to service as well. I thought you sang beautifully and represented Bluffsview very well in our community. Our next performance will be our spring show in May, which the students have already started to learn.

♫ Third Grade will be performing an environmentally friendly “green” themed music program on April 20th, 2011 in conjunction with Earth Day. The title of the program is, “It’s Easy Being Green.” Stay tuned for more information about this upcoming performance.

♫ Elementary Honors Choir is set to begin in February. I am pleased that Bluffsview will be represented by seven students (five 5th graders and two 6th graders) this year. Congratulations to Ava Burson, Morgan Schutte, David Scott, Ian Tavenner, Kristen Wood, Jane Kundu, and Sarah Napoli. See Ms. Hogan if you need a reminder about rehearsals. They will perform their concert on Monday, February 28th at 7:00 PM at Kilbourne Middle School. Please consider attending and showing them your support!