I’m so thrilled to have joined the Peabody community this year. I want to thank our students, parents, and staff for helping to make me feel so welcome here. Thanks also to the Friends of Peabody for the Peabody T-shirt and nice note!
Our 3rd through 5th grade music program has kicked into high gear, as we continue with our Kodaly-inspired general music program while also preparing for our Winter Concert on January 27th.
Third graders are very excited about our first song for the winter concert: Walking in the Air from the silent animated film The Snowman. I remember being mesmerized by this film as a child, and it has been really heartwarming to see how our students have put their all into singing the song and made it their own. Ask them to sing it for you at home!
After taking a break from recorders, fourth grade is delving back in to recorder study. We are just beginning to talk about the absolute letter names on staff in treble clef and starting to read recorder music using the notes B, A, and G. Stay tuned for a recorder practice packet, which will be going home soon!
Here are a few helpful tips you can give 4th grade students as they practice recorder:
- Sit tall with a strong, straight back
- Left hand on top!
- Use warm, gentle air
- Make sure finger holes are fully covered
- Use gentle tonguing to start/stop sound
Fifth graders have general music once per week, and instrumental music twice per week. They are ready to perform the tricky canon “Coffee,” and we are working on finding a time for them to perform for the school community. Though I don’t teach the instrumental lessons, half of them happen in my classroom, and it has been great to see fifth graders progressing in their playing!
And finally, some exciting news! The Handel and Haydn Society will be coming to the Peabody School on Monday, March 28th to present a workshop for all 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students! This program is grant-funded, so there will be no cost to our school!
About the show
“The Voices of America program is a live, interactive 45-minute music and theater show for vocal quartet and pianist, which, through live vocal performance, explores the connections between the history of the United States, the emergence of classical music in American culture, and the development of American musical styles. The H+H Vocal Quartet brings dialog and a captivating performance of music from American folk and patriotic, to Baroque oratorio, through contemporary musical theater to life through a fun and incredibly engaging show.”