Children's Choir Auditions

This just in!  Inviting Grade 4 students to try out for St. James-Assiniboia Divisional Children's Choir for the 2015-2016 season.

SJASD CHILDREN'S CHOIR
Mrs. Harochaw is retiring and the Division is under the process of hiring a new choir director for the SJASD Children's Choir.   In the meantime, Mrs. Harochaw will be auditioning students for this choir.  This choir is an enrichment group that performs at a high level.  Membership gives students the opportunity to develop excellent choral singing skills and to meet with other talented musicians from throughout the school division.   Singers in this group enjoy rehearsing and performing a wide variety of beautiful music.  In addition to having fun singing together, this choir works very hard.  For this reason, the choir is considered an "elite" performing group, meeting the special musical needs of highly motivated, self-disciplined singers.

Children's Choir practices will meet weekly on Wednesdays from 4:15-5:45 beginning Wednesdsay, September 16 and ending mid-May, 2016.   Location TBA.  The 'choir kick-off' camp is held at Camp Arnes from Sept. 30 - Oct. 2.

Expectations:
- full year commitment to all rehearsals and concerts (Sept - May)
- singing ability (in pitch, energy, memory, facial expression and vocal quality)
- excellent behaviour
- 3 day choir camp - must attend

Auditions will take place June 1, 4, 5 and 8 for Grade 4 students at Voyageur School.  Please go to the following link to sign up for an audition: Children's Choir Audition Sign-up

O CANADA

SHE'S LIKE THE SWALLOW

The audition includes:
- vocal range warm-ups to determine how high or low you can sing
- prepared selection of O Canada or She's Like the Swallow by student (you will be assessed for tuning, energy, facial expression and vocal quality)
- singing back a melody echo (you will hear a simple melody a few times and sing it back)
- a canon sung in round with teacher (eg. Row Row Your Boat)
- reading and clapping rhythms
- audition application form filled out (available from Ms. Rempel)

Art Videos

Just in!!!  Our Celebration of the Arts videos are published.  Congratulations to all the students!

GRADE 2/3 French Dance

Grade 4/5 Tinikling Club

Grade 4/5 Tap Dance

Whole School - Wavin' Flag

Grade 4/5 Shining Moon (Nyam Sang Doun)

Tapping Our Potential

It's hard to believe that Mrs. Kaczmarz's class just learned to tap dance this year.  Here is their amazing video produced by Mr. Miller and Mr. McKiel of their culmination piece.  Thank you for sharing your talents Mrs. Kaczmarz.  You are an inspiration.  Room 5 - hats off to you for your dedication and determination to learn something new.  Your dancing has been such a treat to see and your hard work has payed off.

Choir Auditions

It's that busy time of the year for St. James choirs and auditions are coming up fast.  Grade 5 students are invited to try out for the Divisional choirs for 2015-2016.

JUNIOR CONCERT CHOIR (JCC)
Under the direction of Ms. Gabriella Gallo, the Junior Concert Choir (JCC) is an award-winning choir that has gained local and national recognition.  Membership to the choir will give students the opportunity to develop their potential for musical excellence, and to meet with other talented musicians in our school division.  Singers in this group enjoy rehearsing and performing a wide variety of beautiful music.  In addition to having fun singing together, this choir works very hard.  For this reason, the choir is considered an "elite" performing group, meeting the special musical needs of highly motivated, self-disciplined singers.

JCC practices weekly on Wednesdays from 4:15-5:45 being Wednesday, Sept. 9 at Bannatyne School, 363 Thompson Ave.  The 'choir kick-off' camp is held at Camp Arnes from Sept. 23-25.

Expectations:
- full year commitment to all rehearsals and concerts (Sept - May)
- be prepared for audition and performances
- singing ability (in pitch, energy, memory, facial expression and vocal quality)
- excellent behaviour
- uniform - as noted by Ms. Gallo
- choir camp - must attend; cost is $130 (some subsidies available but see requirements)

Auditions will take place from June 1-4 for Grade 5 students.  Students must sign up for a 10 minute slot.  Please go to the following link to sign up for an audition: JCC Audition Sign-up

The audition includes:
- vocal range warm-ups to determine how high or low you can sing
- prepared selection by student (you will be assessed for tuning, energy, facial expression and vocal quality)
- singing back a melody echo (you will hear a simple melody a few times and sing it back)
- a canon sung in round with Ms. Gallo (eg. Row Row Your Boat)
- reading and clapping rhythms

Audition Application Forms are available from Ms. Rempel.

Artists at Work

Grade 1-3 French Dance

Grade 4/5 Choir - Thai Folk Song

Grade 4/5 Tapping Our Potential

Tinikling Club

Wavin' Flag!

WOW Stevenson.  Congratulations on another amazing concert.  Videos to come shortly.  Everyone's art was amazing and the show was so good.  Thanks to the staff and families for coming out.

Celebrating the Arts

Cup Games

A few new resources have come across my desk this week and I'm excited to introduce these to my students.  Last week, in some of the classes, we pulled out the cups for a quick team building / beat keeping exercise.  This new resource, Rhythm Cup Explorations, gets the rhythms into the students' hands.

Grade 4/5 team work to "When I'm Gone"

We look forward to sharing these games with you in the future.

George Waters Showband

The George Waters Grade 6 Showband came to Stevenson music room yesterday.  They are under the direction of Mr. Johnson.  They did a fabulous job and we really enjoyed hearing all the different instruments.  For more information about band, contact Ms. Rempel or Mr. Johnson @ GW band website.

Students representing past schools (Stevenson, Linwood and Brooklyns)

Gold Medal Winner!

First Olympic Gold Belt Recipient!

Today made history in the music room.  Congratulations to this Grade 5 student for receiving the first gold medal in the Level Recorder Karate Program!  Well deserved!

Kids Can Compose!

Today our Grade 1 classes were busy writing their own music on the instruments.  Stay tuned for our creations.

This past week we created a body percussion pattern to accompany the poem:

RAIN ON THE GREEN GRASS

RAIN ON THE TREES

RAIN ON THE HOUSETOP BUT

NOT ON ME!

Farmer in the Dell

Today the Kindergarten music classes sang and played the Farmer in the Dell game.  We learned that a dell is a small valley between trees.

Music Skype

Kindergarten skyping with Linwood

Grade 1 class skyping with Linwood

Last week our Kindergartens and Grade 1 classroom got to music skype with the Linwood music room.  We each shared a piece we were working on and then asked questions and gave compliments.  It was really neat and our students did a great job.

Rockin' Recorders

Bass Recorder

Practicing for Recorder Karate

The Grade 2-5 classes have been working on recorders for the past few weeks.

This week Room 17, 18, 11 and 12 got to see and hear the difference between 5 recorders (soprino, soprano, alto, tenor and bass).  We now have learned the basics of recorders like "I LEFT the window up and it fell RIGHT down."  We blow gently and often squeaks mean leaks.  We are learning to read the staff and play music using BAG notes.

The Grade 4/5 classes continue to work on their leveled belts in the Recorder Karate program.  Ms. Rempel is hearing much improvement from everyone.

Music Monday 2015

This was supposed to be a Canadian flag...

Today we filled the skies with music to kick off the month of May and to video for Music Monday 2015.   Watch the live webcast on Monday, May 4 as various performances from Montreal and Calgary are broadcast.   Go to www.musicmonday.ca to find the link.  Tweet:  #MMWeAreOne

Mr. Miller and I created a Music Monday song for the 2015 Music Monday Song Search Contest.  Here was our entry and we wanted to share it with everyone.  Thanks to the students who recorded on the song.  Can you feel it?