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Paul Weller                                         "This will be our reply to violence:
Music Specialist                                    to make music more intensely,
Jefferson Elementary                            more beautifully, more devotedly than ever before."
(763) 506-2968                                                                              -Leonard Bernstein                                                  
www.anoka.k12.mn.us/jeffersonmusic                       

See/Hear your child!

I have been hard at work creating a multimedia website for each grade level. On this Jefferson Music Network you will be able to see and hear your child sing and play instruments.  In order to keep this information somewhat private, access to this site is by invitation only.  If you would like to be able to access your grade level's website, please visit http://jeffersonmusic.ning.com and click on your grade level.  You will be asked a few simple questions to create an account and then your membership will be sent to me for approval. 

I hope to see many of you there soon!

Choir Festival

On Friday the Jefferson Choir took a trip over to Sand Creek Elementary School to participate in the Choir festival. It was a fantastic day and our Conductor Susan Zemlin from Blaine High School was AMAZING and had great things to say about the songs we were singing. The day was long and there was a lot of standing and singing, but the students did a wonderful job...I am so proud of them. I can't wait for our Jefferson concert on May 8th! It should be spectacular!

Homework this week

1st Grade:
Please be looking for homework coming home from your students this week.  We have been working on singing Sol-Mi melodies and the students just completed writing their own melodies and placing them on a 2-line staff.  Please have your child sing it and sign it with their hands for you (encourage the use of a light high voice).  Then sign it and have them bring it back to the Music Room.

2nd Grade:
Please be looking for a homework assignment coming come from your students this week.  We have been working hard on reading, writing, and signing Sol, Mi, Do.  The assignment was a transcription of a song they have been singing. 

Recorder Choir Update

In case you haven't heard, this year I started a recorder choir at jefferson for the 5th grade students who wanted a bit more challenge with the recorders.  It has been going very well and the students are enjoying stretching their musical wings.  This week we began learning the Alto recorder.  The alto recorder is bigger than the sopranos we play in class and it plays in a different key than the soprano.  It's a bit of a mind bender, but the students are picking it up really quickly. 

Things have been busy!

It's been a while since I've posted any news from the music room so here's what's been happening in Feb:

1st Grade:
Just finished writing 16 beat compositions using High and Low.  They are now able to read/sing/ and play music off of the 2-line staff!!  How Exciting!

2nd Grade:
Has just learned the entire Pentatonic Scale (do, re, mi, sol, la) and is busy singing/improvising/composing/ and playing around with our new sounds

3rd Grade:
Is having fun singing and playing around in La, based pentatonic (minor mode).  Soon we will add low Sol to  our note pallette.  Be looking for a new composition coming home soon!

4th Grade:
Is progressing nicely with their recorders.  We now know 4 notes: GA  CD and have started our "recorder karate" belt testing.  Be sure to encourage your child to bring their recorder home to practice.  The more they practice, the better they sound!

5th Grade:
Just finished a large project where they created a dance, recorder improvisation and added it to a known xylophone song.  It was amazing to see the wonderful and creative ideas that they came up with!!!  I wish that I could put the video up online, however I am restricted due to data privacy laws here in the district. 

Jefferson 4/5 Choir:
I am really impressed at how quickly the choir is learning their music.  Not only did they impress me by how well they are READING the choral octavos, but they are watching me while I direct!  They are truly a musically gifted group! I am really excited for our workshop with Cantus next week. If you have not visited the Cantus website, do it now and get a taste of the musical excellence that will be at Jefferson next week.

Recorder Choir:
recorder choir is busy working on new songs that they will be playing on the choir concert in May.  They are also preparing a couple of really neat xylophone ensemble songs.   One group has even taken on the challenge of learning the Alto Recorder

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Choir Schedule update

Please note that there has been a change of date for the Cantus Workshop.  It is now going to be Thursday March 13th 4pm-4:45pm.  Please make this change on your calendar and download a new copy of the schedule from the website

This is a VERY important event for the choir, so please make sure that your student can attend.