Orchestra Instruments

All our classes are enjoying studying the 4 families of orchestra instruments.  Our Grade 1/2 classes are watching the Disney classic:  A Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom!

Our Grade 3/4/5 classes watched the video about why the instruments are grouped in their families.

We will be watching the wonderful video and story by John Lithgow, The Remarkable Farkle McBride.

Another one of my favorites is The Composer is Dead by Lemony Snicket

PART 1

PART 2

PART 3

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:

WSO Kids 2017-2018 Concerts

Great season ahead of Sunday 2017-18 matinee shows for kids at the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra.  Click on WSO Link for more information.

Canadian Mosiac Concert

Getting ready to watch the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra

 The Grade 4/5's went to a fantastic show at the Centennial Concert Hall this afternoon.  We watched the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra play and heard the St. Jame's Children's Choir and Junior Choir sing several numbers.  It was magical and informative as we learned about various Canadian composers and the interesting numbers they created.  Other special performers joined the show including a special lyrical dance, a tabla drummer, a recorder and string group, and a French singer.

Ready, set, listen!

SJSD Children's and Junior Choir singing with WSO

Art Music Project

The Grade 4/5 classes have been using their listening skills to reflect on a song that we will hear at the Winnipeg Symphony concert in April.  The song is called "Contented House" by Canadian composer, Jean Coulthard.  After we listened to the piece several times, we discussed how art can reflect music and music can reflect art.  We didn't have a lot of time to explore, but many of the students were able to depict the music through an art picture.  Here is what they came up with.

Musical Discoveries

On Monday, the Grade 2/3 classes had the amazing opportunity to go to the Centennial Concert Hall to hear our very own Winnipeg Music Symphony.  Check out some of the students responses...

Before we even went, we did several lessons and activities about the music so we had some ideas of what we liked and what we could look and listen for.  Check out the tab "WSO Gr. 2/3" for more of the songs and dances we heard.

Learning how to professional play the castanets.  Not easy!

Permission Forms

Permission forms went home today for all Grade 4/5 and Grade 2/3 students regarding upcoming music field trips.  Please return them  immediately to the school.

Art is Music - Music is Art

Listening to the following musical selection.  Imagine this song is a picture.  What do you think this song is about?  How would you draw this music using lines, shapes and colours?  How does this song show contrasts?

The following are some initial markings of Grade 4/5 students as they listened to this piece.  Where do you see the music in these pictures?  How do they show contrasts, interest, energy and excitement of this musical piece?

Musical Discoveries

Grade 1, 2 and 3 classes have been learning 10 symphony songs in the past 2 weeks.  We are heading to the Centennial Concert Hall on Monday, January 19 for this exciting performance.  Reminder to parents that day care students need to bring a bag lunch as they will be staying at the school up on our return around 12:00.  As well, students are encouraged to dress up in their best as we are attending a professional concert.

Art-astic!

 The Grade 4/5 classes have started their exploration of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra (WSO) songs they will be hearing on the music field trip to the Concert Hall on Tuesday, March 10.  We've been exploring the 'mystery art contest song' and how musical elements can be translated into feeling and messages through art.  We look forward to sharing our art pieces and interpretations of the song in the near future.

Group discussions on how this art piece shows contrast through lines, shapes and colours.

When these students were asked to think of words that would describe this work of art, these were the words that came to mind: wacky, math, school stuff, geometric, outrageous, volume, surreal (Picasso), colourful buildings, war, nighttime

The Dream Game

The Grade 1's played our first 'dream' game today.  We listened to a piece of music and imagined what the song was about.  As you listen to it, what pictures or story comes to mind?  We talked about the feeling of the music.  Most felt it was kind of scary sounding.  We heard short, detached sounds and learned the word for this is 'staccato.'   We talked about the instrument that makes the loud crashing sounds (cymbals) and practiced moving our bodies to it.  We all agreed that the music got louder and faster at the end.  It was like something crazy was happening.

Peter and the Wolf

The Grade 1's have been studying the orchestra instruments and learning the famous story "Peter and the Wolf" by Russian composer, Sergei Prokofiev.  We read the story illustrated by Peter Malone and learned all the instruments in the story.  We matched them with their sounds.






Today we watched Disney's 1946 version narrated by Sterling Holloway.  We discussed how the name of the bird in the show was Sasha, just like our Russian dance.  We also talked about the Russian hat that was worn and then compared the differences between the book and the movie.  Most students liked the movie the best.


Here is a Youtube version of the story performed by the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and narrated by conductor, Bramwell Tovey.