Singing with the Phil

Just a little taste of the day singing with the Winnipeg Philharmonic Choir on December 16.  Thank-you to Maestro Yuri Klaz, Adrienne Weibe, Cheryl McNabb, Brenda Marinelli and the Phil choir for inviting us.  It was a most memorable experience.

Acting Video

Check out our acting from our winter concert 2018.  Way to go everyone.  Green screening is fun!

Form and Contour

We discussed today form patterns and the contour of sounds through the Nutcracker songs: The March and Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.

Here's a fun winter video:

Lighting it Up

Congratulations to all students for your amazing work this year with our holiday shows.  We hope our families enjoyed the performances and may everyone have a safe and happy holiday.  See you in January!

Christmas with the Phil!

Today and tonight, we are singing with the Phil!  Come on down. Tickets are going fast.

Here are some pictures of our rehearsals this week

Phil Note

Very important Phil note coming home Friday about the weekend for the Singing Sabres choir.  Please read carefully.   Look for it!  See it under the "Singing Sabres" tab.

Concert Note

Note coming home today.  Please read carefully!

CONCERT PREP

We are now underway with preparations for our Winter Concerts on December 12.  Songs, speaking, dancing, acting, transitions, staging, props, backgrounds, solos, auditions and more... it's a huge deal and every student is involved in one way or another.

We are looking forward to sharing with you the sounds of the season.  

Please stay tuned for notes going home in the next few weeks in regards to details on costumes, times, etc.

NOTE: songs for rehearsals and notes going home are under the tabs up above 

- CHOIR: Singing Sabres, CHOIR: Room 3/4/5, CHOIR: Room 9/11/12, K-2 Concert

We Remember

Thank-you to students and staff for a very simple yet beautiful reminder at our Remembrance Day assembly this week of those who served in WWI and WWII and continue to maintain peace around the world.  Our choirs sang beautifully in remembrance of those who stand for peace, hope and love.  We shall remember.

St. James Children's Choir on the Air!

So proud of one of our outstanding elementary music teachers in our division, Mrs. Neufeld, and this wonderful high caliber divisional children's choir.  We had one student from Stevenson representing last year.  Congratulations Hannah, the choir team, their director, and Ms. Amanda Hahn-Tomchuk, their amazing accompanist!  We are so lucky to have you here.

BORROWED FROM SJASD Website News
During the week of October 15, 2018, CBC Radio One featured the activities of the St. James neighbourhood. As part of their coverage, they featured the SJASD Divisional Children's Concert Choir. Director Heather Neufeld submitted a recording from the choir's performance at the Winnipeg Music Festival in March 2018. Below is the audio clip from the program that aired Thursday, October 18, 2018. (Picture from a 2018 performance in St. James-Assiniboia)

Excellent Singers...

Marching Bands

I love how 1 instrument brings up some cool connections and leads to some great discussions.  Today we were playing a game that used the snare drum and it reminded us of marching bands.  Canada does not have this as a common tradition although we sometimes see them in parades and in the military.  Some students knew about the marching bands in the USA and that they often play at football games.  Here was an example of what we watched and how the team has to work together and the skills that are needed to accomplish such a cool work of art.

Which also lead to a short discussion on baton twirling which Mrs. Mitchell is going to be teaching at our Thursday project afternoons.  We are sooooo lucky to have her and looking forward to seeing what her group will learn.

Music Room Rap

Remembrance Day

Our classes are now busy preparing for our upcoming assembly on November 7 for Remembrance Day.

CHOIR UNITED & GOLDEN VOICES SINGING

DONA NOBIS PACEM (Give Us Peace) Arranged by Margaret R. Tucker

Here's a bit of a different version of the song but gives voice to the three parts in canon.

IN FLANDERS FIELDS Words By Dr. John McCrae  Music By John Jacobson and Roger Emerson

KINDER / GRADE 1/2:

Busy Start

All our classes have been super busy in music as we prepared for our Sharing Assembly of our school theme song, "Reach for the Stars."

Ask your child to sing it for you and show you the actions.

KINDERS:
We've been working on music room routines.  All students can now find and remember their spot.  We like singing and dancing.  We have been exploring a number of instruments and learning how to hold and play them to make beautiful music.

GRADE 1/2:
Grade 1 and 2 classes have been practicing their singing and listening skills as well.  We can identify the families of percussion instruments: woods, skins, metals and shakers

GRADE 3/4/5:
We have been practicing, reading, writing and playing rhythms and patterns as we bucket drum.

Down By the Sea

Mindsets for Teachers

Singing Sabres Choir

I am so excited to introduce you to 35 remarkable kids who are going to represent Stevenson this December at a very honoured event.  Stevenson has been asked to sing with the prestigious Winnipeg Philharmonic Choir.   These students were auditioned in June and we will now begin rehearsals on Thursday, Sept. 13, after school (3:40-5:00) in the music room.  Parents of choristers, please see the tab, CHOIR: Singing Sabres for updates and information.  Tickets have gone on sale and can purchased through this link to tickets or at the McNally Robinson Bookstore.

It is important that your child is at ALL rehearsals as we have a lot of music to learn and missing even one practice will put them behind and cause us to be less prepared. 

For our first rehearsal, please bring - healthy snack - water bottle with your name labeled

If you haven't returned the purple form that was handed out in June with information, please print off here and return to Ms. Rempel ASAP.  CHOIR FORM

O Canada Multilingual

I really love this new version of O Canada arranged and recorded by Tech Voc High School here in Winnipeg.

This is a multilingual version of “O Canada” including Cree, English, French, Ojibway, Inuktitut, and Tagalog.

Recorder Orders

Any new Grade 4/5 students to Stevenson and Grade 3 students will need a Yahama soprano recorder for the upcoming school year. Stevenson parents can purchase one from the school for only $6.25.

Please DO NOT purchase Dollarstore recorders for classroom use. If your child has a Yamaha recorder from another school, please send it labeled to the music room.

All school payments are to go through https://sjsd.schoolcashonline.com. If you haven’t signed up for an account, please do so ASAP in order to pay for your child’s recorder.

Once I have received notification of payment, I will issue a recorder. We keep our recorders in the music room throughout the year. Some students want to practice at home and I do suggest getting a second recorder (buy a cheaper one) to have at home. By parent note, I do allow some students to take them back and forth between home and school, but the general routine has been to keep them at school as many do not return them when needed for rehearsals. At the end of Grade 5, students take their recorders home for keeps.

If you have any questions, please contact me at the school (204) 832-1359 or via email: jrempel@sjsd.net

Thank-you,



Ms. Rempel
Stevenson-Britannia Music

Meet the Teacher

Be Our Guest

Another season of amazing talent and entertainment wraps up at Canada's largest outdoor theatre, Rainbow Stage.  If you didn't get a chance to go this season, I highly recommend to save up and go for next year.  It's a fun family outing and it's all Manitoba talent.  Check out the Winnipeg Free Press Review.

Happy Vacation!

Another Year...

Grade 5 girls singing and dancing.  I am sure gonna miss you!

This is my 9th year end at Stevenson.  It's been a really low key year and I've needed a break from all the business and events.  We've had some lovely moments this year and also learning to adjust to our split classes has been both joyful and challenging.  Split classes are always difficult in music as we often build on previous years, with certain music skills and concepts that are age appropriate.  This year there was a large gap in the span and a variety of abilities.  We want all students making music but also knowing and understanding concepts, communicating effectively and appropriately, and gaining proficiency in skills and confidence in individual and group tasks such as reading, writing, playing, performing, music listening/appreciation, and improvising.  This is an unending huge task and my students didn't disappoint as I saw many grow through failure and triumphs.

To my Grade 5s - thank you for the years of making music together.  I hope and pray that you continue to find nuggets of life and joy through music making experiences and will look back on your years of plays, choir, Orff, games, dances, solos, and drumming with fondness.  I look forward to seeing you in the future bands, choirs, and ever appreciating the vast colorful wonders of music throughout the rest of your lives.

See you at our final assembly at 10:00 a.m. in the Stevenson gym.

Have a wonderful summer and see you all in September!

Kinders exploring sounds

Making a band

Grade 5s who have passed and surpassed their Level 1 Recorder Karate tests.  Congrats!

Performing for our peers

Outdoor Music - Drumming station

Room 5 Tapping our Potential Music Monday performance

Orff Club performing pieces from our story plays

GRADE 2-4 YEAR END SONG

I'll Walk You Through the Rain

Performance Back Track

GRADE 5 - YEAR END SONG

Grade 5's!!!!!!!!  *Sniff

Celebration of the Arts

Music Monday 2018

Come and join us at Stevenson as we celebrate Music Monday 2018.  Most students are performing a song or two and we have a variety of songs lined up.  Hope to see you there!

Rap Battle

Grade 3/4/5 classes are practicing their beatboxing, rapping, and beat keeping abilities while showing creativity.  Each group chose a nursery rhyme and is working on rapping it to one of the beats below.  They are encourage to create patterns, repeat parts, and add some interesting (and appropriate) movement or melody to their pieces.  We are looking forward to hearing what they come up with.

RAP #1 - haunting, intense, violin, hip hop, slower



RAP #2 - intense, minor, synth, hip hop



RAP #3 - intense, chimes, piano, low voice, slower pace, synth



RAP #4 - bluesy jazz, trumpet, walk down bass



RAP #5 - jazzy vibraphone improv



RAP #6 - island feel, reggae

Junie B Auditions

It's that time of the year again and the St. James Divisional Musical auditions are being held in May for the 2018/19 musical theatre piece, "Junie B. Jones Jr."  The auditions are open to any Grade 3/4/5 Stevenson student that has been auditioned through Ms. Long and Ms. Rempel.  The preliminary auditions are on Tuesday, April 17 at lunch in the music room.  Please see the tab above "Junie B" for more information and links to the music and script.  Letters have been sent home with all interested students.  All the best!

Wizard of Oz Hit Songs

Follow the Yellowbrick Road / We're Off to See the Wizard

If I Only Had a Brain

Somewhere Over the Rainbow

Munchkin Welcome Song

It Really Was No Miracle

Come to the Music Zoo!

Come on down to the music room during our Student-Led Conferences this Thursday, March 15th and check out our Instrument Petting Zoo from 4:30-7:00.

Parent-Teacher meetings are on Friday, March 16th (between 9:00-11:30) and by appointment only and families have to sign up on Stevenson School Conference Manager to schedule a 10 minute conference if you need to see Ms. Rempel.

Grade 1/2 Choir Sings!

Congratulations Grade 1/2 choir on a great job singing last night at our Music Celebration 2018 at Sturgeon Creek United Church.  They did a great job and we are very proud of your work!

Here is our evaluation of our singing.  Stars and wishes!

Choir Sings Tonight

January Update

So much going on right now as our classes and choirs prepare for upcoming performances, field trips, and assessments for report cards.  Please make note of the following upcoming events.

Monday, January 29 - Room 17, 18, 11 are attending the Seussical Musical at Westwood.   We are leaving at 12:30.  *All students who go home or daycare for lunch need to have it at school.  A few students haven't returned forms.  This is a required/mandatory event.

Thursday, February 1- Room 3, 4, 5 are attending the Seussical Musical at Westwood.  We are leaving at 9:30.   A few students haven't returned forms yet.  This is a required/mandatory event.

Thursday, February 15 - Room 14, 16, 12, 9 (Grade 1/2) will be singing at the SJASD Music Celebration at Sturgeon Creek United Church (207 Thompson Drive).  Please be there for 5:10.  Warm-up starts at 5:20 and we perform at 5:50.  We will finished at 6:10 and families are welcome to leave or stay and watch some other choirs perform. All students must be accompanied by an adult.  Dress is black pants/skirts, a short-sleeve t-shirt, and indoor shoes (no heals).  Choir shirts will be provided at the event.

Friday, February 23 - Report card writing for teachers.  No school for students.

Monday, February 26 - All Grade 3-5 students will be attending the 100th Winnipeg Music Festival at Westminister United Church (745 Westminster Ave).  Room 3,4,5 perform in the morning and Room 17, 18, 11 perform in the afternoon.  All students are required to attend this event as it's part of their learning experiences and all transportation and costs are covered.  *All students who go home or daycare for lunch need to have it at school.  Families are invited to attend.  General admission is $5.00 and children under 12 are free.  Dress is black pants/skirts, a short-sleeve t-shirt, and indoor shoes (no heals).  Choir shirts will be provided.

Congratulations to 30 Grade 4/5 students who sang at the MB Moose Game on Saturday, January 13.  Check it out!

Moose Game

Today our Grade 4/5 students will be representing Stevenson as we sing O Canada on the ice at 2:00 PM.

BROADCAST:

Online Radio - MooseHockey.com/ListenLive
Official Manitoba Moose App - "Listen Live" Feature
Online TV - AHLLive.com (with subscription)

Note to singers:

• Please gather at north entrance by elevators and Moxies entrance (Main entrance at Donald and 300 Portage Ave) at 1:00 PM but NO LATER THAN 1:20 PM.
• Choir members and their director will be escorted by a Manitoba Moose Representative to a designated room on the lower level. Parents can proceed into the seating area/concourse of the Bell MTS Centre.
• Choir members can keep their coats, etc with them or pass along to parents.
• Every choir member will need their ticket with them at all times.
• Choir members should be dressed appropriately. Wear black pants and short sleeve shirts. Ms. Rempel will bring the choir shirts. Carpets are provided for the performance but please DO NOT wear dress shoes. Runners provide better footing on wet or slippery surfaces.
• Please – No chewing gum
• After the performance, the choir will be escorted to their designated seating area where they will meet their parents.

Tickets on Sale!

Tickets on sale now for the SJASD show, Seussical The Musical, Jr. Shows running from January 27 to February 3, 2018. 2 casts (from Stevenson - Cast 1: Jessica, Kiera, Nathalie; Cast 2: Arsenni) As part of our music class, Grades 3/4/5 will be going during school at the end of January.

Transporting audiences from the Jungle of Nool to the Circus McGurkus, the Cat in the Hat narrates the story of Horton the Elephant, who discovers a speck of dust containing tiny people called the Whos. Horton must protect the Whos from a world of naysayers and dangers, and he must also guard an abandoned egg that's been left in his care by the irresponsible Mayzie La Bird. Although Horton faces ridicule, danger and a trial, the intrepid Gertrude McFuzz never loses faith in him. Ultimately, the powers of friendship, loyalty, family and community are challenged and emerge triumphant!
Ticket Link