To: Parents of Grades 4-8
Chorus Members
From: Don Ryan
May 21, 2008
BROADWAY
CHORAL NIGHT !!
JUNE
3, 2008
Please join us for our annual
grades 4-8 Spring Concert, Tuesday, June 3. The concert theme is BROADWAY
NIGHT, with each
chorus performing music from a Broadway musical of their choosing. The daytime
concerts begin at 9:30am and 2pm; and the evening concerts at 6:30 and 7:45.
Participating will be:
Grade 4 Chorus (all 4th
grade students)
Grade 5 Chorus (all 5th
grade students)
Grade 6 Chorus
Grade 7/8 Chorus
We're
going to repeat our usual concert format, presenting separate chorus and band
concert nights. On the 3rd, the grades 4 and 5 choruses will
perform on the Sawyer stage from 6:30-7:15 (note the earlier starting time).
Students should arrive at 6:15 and go directly to the gym for preparation,
instructions, and warm-ups. Following the concert, 4/5 parents and students
would have to leave as the middle school parents and choruses will be arriving.
The
middle school chorus concert will begin at 7:45 and go to approximately 8:30.
Grades 6-8 students should arrive at 7:30 and go directly to the gym for
preparation, instructions, and warm-ups. Following the separate Broadway
performances, the three middle school choruses will come together for the
“finale.”
Also,
on June 3, the 3rd grade songflutes, directed by Tim Kelly, will be
performing a short concert on the Sawyer stage beginning at 5:45, prior to the
choral presentation.
June
12, is grades 4-8 "Band Night," and Mr. Kelly will be sending information home
with the band students.
There
will be two day concerts, but because of limited seating in the auditorium,
the day concerts are for Sawyer students and staff only.
Attendance, day and evening, by
all performers is mandatory. The students have been working very hard to put a
great show together for you. I’m sure you’ll be impressed, entertained by
their efforts. We’re all looking forward to this one.
Please note that parking is
available around the back of the SawyerSchool.
Please do not park on the road between the Emerson and Sawyer buildings.
Concert dress for the evening
concert is as follows:
5th,
6th, 7th and 8th Grades (not 4):
Boys: black pants, white shirts,
shoes
Girls: black pants or skirt,
white shirts, or white or light colored dress, shoes
*Please, no t-shirts, jeans,
white or colored sneakers
*For
the day concert, students may wear their usual school clothes, as long as it's
neat and presentable.
4th
Grade dress for both day and night performances:
Colorful
greenish tops!
Boys
and girls: pants or shorts, colorful shirt, with some green color in the shirt
Sneakers
will be allowed for this concert.
Note:
some 4th grade soloists have been assigned specific colors.
Please visit the chorus website
(menu: Sawyer website-Staff-Related Arts-Chorus/General Music).
We are always happily accepting
of help from parent volunteers for the evening concerts to assist with
supervising students before and after they perform. If you would like to help
us, please contact Don (dryan@nrsd.net) or
Tim (tkelly@nrsd.net). You will still
be able to watch your child perform.
If there are any questions or
concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
And a sincere thank you for your
strong and continued support.
Don Ryan (choruses)
***********************************************************************************
A NOTE FROM THE MUSIC
FOLKS - GRADES K-8
Don Ryan, Tim Kelly
Welcome parents, to the Florence
Sawyer
School’s
Music Department. We’re looking forward to another fine year in both the
classroom and on the stage.
We’d also like to give you a
brief overview of the curriculum, performance groups, winter concert dates,
and other goings on in the Music Department. (Teachers:
DR and TK)
ELEMENTARY MUSIC PROGRAM
Kindergarten
(DR) is once again scheduled for music and we'll be concentrating mostly on
singing, movement, beat and basic rhythm (Orff/Kodaly). American sign language
is used to add hand motion to our music in grades K-2.
The
first grade (DR) will be beginning basic sight-reading/singing and the
reading of and performance of simple rhythms (Orff/Kodaly). Sign language is
used for hand movement. Also included is an introduction to keyboards as well
as music from other lands. Students will be able to progress at each
individual’s own pace. The classes will be entertaining the Sawyer diners at
our annual lunch concerts in the spring.
The
second grade (DR) is a continuation of the skills learned in first
grade as well as a good part of the fall devoted to understanding the
instruments of the orchestra. Basic keyboard and piano skills are introduced
in the spring.
In
the third grade, (TK) emphasis is on melody and rhythm. The students
study basic music theory and begin learning the song flute partway through the
year in preparation for playing band instruments at the start of the fourth
grade. The song flute classes will be performing in the spring fourth/fifth
grade band/chorus concert.
All
fourth grade (DR) students belong to the combined fourth grade chorus
and concerts are performed in December and late spring. The classes are more
of a combination of choral skills and general music. Also, in the fourth
grade, students begin lessons on band instruments (TK) and also perform in the
spring concert. Although band is voluntary, nearly every student is involved.
Fifth
grade
(DR, TK) students are offered both band and chorus, with more intense choral
and instrumental skills than in fourth grade, continued general music, and
both the winter and spring performances.
MIDDLE SCHOOL MUSIC PROGRAM
The Middle School Music
Program is arranged much differently than the elementary school. Students in
grades six, seven and eight must choose to participate in band, chorus,
both band and chorus, or general music.
The middle
school instrumental program (TK) consists of the combined grades 7/8 band
and the separate sixth grade band. The middle school choral program
(DR) consists of sixth through eighth grade choruses. All the groups perform
concerts in the winter and late spring as well as the occasional “road trip.”
Seventh and eighth grade singers and players are also encouraged to audition
for the Massachusetts Central District ensembles and the band will be
participating in the MICCA competition, which will be held the first weekend
in April.
Sixth
grade general music (DR) concentrates mostly on the instruments of the
orchestra, classical form, composers and traditional country music.
Seventh
grade general music (TK) is also for those not participating in band or
chorus. This class involves a "hands on" exploration of recording techniques.
Students will write, perform, and record scripts using background music and
sound effects. The ability to read music is not a requirement.
In eighth
grade general music, (DR) students spend a good part of the year studying
the history of rock and roll via jazz, folk and blues. Students will be
composing original blues compositions. Also covered are opera, ballet and
musicals.
Jazz
band (TK) will be offered this year with rehearsals scheduled after
school, on Tuesdays. The IAJE festival will be held in early May and our
participation is a possibility.
CONCERTS
This December, we're going to
repeat our concert format, presenting separate chorus and band concert nights.
Tuesday, December 11, is "Chorus Night." Monday, December 17, is "Band Night."
On the 11th, the grades four
and five choruses will perform on the Sawyer stage from
6:30-7:15
(note the early starting time). At 7:15,
parents and students would have to leave as the middle school parents and
choruses will be arriving. The middle school chorus concert will begin at 7:45
and go to approximately 8:30.
December 17, is "Band Night,"
although the fourth grade band will NOT be performing. The concert will begin
at 7:00,
with the fifth grade band, and we will not have the changeover period. If
seats are available, students done performing are welcome to sit in the
audience with their parents to watch the rest the other performing groups.
This format has proven to
shorten the length of the concerts, eliminate the stage change to/from chorus
and band, keep the continuity between performing groups, and make the
students' warm-up/holding period in the gym much more manageable.
~ ~ ~ ~
~
Visit our websites via the
Sawyer website-Staff-Related Arts. Concert dates and additional information
are posted as well as the chorus music for practicing at home and the general
music assignments and resources.
The spring concert date for
chorus is Tuesday, June 3, day and night. The band concerts are Thursday, June
12, day and night. If you have any questions and concerns, please don’t
hesitate to contact Don or Tim.
That's all the news for now.
We’re looking forward to another great year for Sawyer music. As always, thank
you for your strong and continued support. We need it, your kids need and
deserve it, and we all truly appreciate it.
Don Ryan
Tim Kelly
Vocal/General
Music
Instrumental
Music
**************************************
To: Parents of Grades 4-8 Chorus Members
From: Don Ryan
November 28, 2007
CHORAL
NIGHT !!
DECEMBER
11, 2007
This
is a reminder of our annual grades 4-8 Holiday Concert, Tuesday, December 11,
daytime tba, and evening at 6:30 and 7:45. Participating will be:
Grade 4 Chorus (all 4th grade
students)
Grade 5 Chorus (all 5th grade
students)
Grades 6, 7 and 8 Choruses
We'll
again be using our new concert format, presenting separate chorus and band
concert nights. Tuesday, December 11, is "Chorus Night."
On
the 11th, the grades four and five choruses will perform on the Sawyer stage
from 6:30-7:15 (note the earlier starting time). At 7:15, parents and students
would have to leave as the middle school parents and choruses will be
arriving. The middle school chorus concert will begin at 7:45 and go to
approximately 8:30.
Grades 4 and 5 students should arrive
at 6:15 and go directly to the gym for preparation, instructions, and warm-ups.
Grades 6-8 students should arrive at
7:30 and go directly to the gym. Note: the 6th grade band and chorus will be
performing a piece together, on both the chorus and band nights. Therefore,
all need to attend both the chorus and band nights.
If
seats are available, students done performing are welcome to sit in the
audience with their parents to watch the other performing groups.
The
only problem we foresee is managing the parking. Please do not park on the
road between Emerson and Sawyer. Because of the two evening concerts, cars
will be entering and leaving simultaneously via that road. Parking is allowed
on the road behind the Sawyer School.
December
17, is grades 5-8 "Band Night," and Mr. Kelly will be sending information home
with the band students. The 6th grade chorus also needs to attend on the 17th,
from 7pm-7:45.
The day concerts are for Sawyer
students and staff only due to limited seating in the auditorium.
Attendance,
day and evening, by all performers is mandatory. The students have been
working very hard to put a great show together for you. I’m sure you’ll be
impressed, entertained by their efforts, and thrust into the Holiday spirit.
We’re all looking forward to this one.
Concert
dress for the evening concert is as follows:
Boys:
black pants, white shirts, shoes
Girls: black pants or skirt,
white shirts, or white or light colored dress, shoes
*Please, no t-shirts, jeans,
white or colored sneakers. But, do the best with what you have, don't buy
anything.
For
the day concert, students may wear their usual school clothes, as long as it's
neat and presentable.
We
are always happily accepting of help from parent volunteers for the evening
concerts to assist with supervising students in the gym before and after they
perform. If you would like to help us, please contact me at dryan@nrsd.net.
You will still be able to watch your child perform.
If there are any questions or concerns,
please don’t hesitate to contact me.
And a sincere thank you for your
strong and continued support.
Don
Ryan (choruses)