Frequently Asked Questions: This page contains answers to common questions of students and parents.
What kinds of activities take place in the general music class?
The National Standards for Music (MENC, 1994) and New Jersey Core Content Standards provide a guideline for what students need to know and be able to do. The East Brunswick music curriculum is aligned to these standards, and corresponding activities to support these standards are reflected in each lesson. Lessons involve students in singing, playing, moving, listening,creating, responding, problem solving, participating in classroom dialogue, and developing musical creativity through improvisation and composition. Music literacy is reinforced daily and derived from a variety of musical genres. Students are encouraged to make connections between music they listen to outside of school to the music and concepts they learn in their music classes. "Outside music," then becomes a regular part of our general music classroom. Students will experience learning through whole class participation, cooperative learning groups, partnering, and working individually; all of these strategies play an integral role in strengthening the students' musicianship, both as individuals and within the community of musicians/learners.Back to Top
What can you tell me about the Irwin School Chorus?
Chorus is an extra-curricular singing ensemble that meets before school on Tuesday mornings and takes place in the Irwin School Music Room (45). In order to participate, a parent/guardian is required to fill out the club registration form and send a $15 check to the Administration Building(address is located at the bottom of the form) with the registration. Rehearsals will begin promptly at 8:10 for vocal warmups and will last until 9:00. Students who are safeties are dismissed at 8:50 to go to his/her assigned post. In the event that there is a delayed opening, chorus will be cancelled and a make-up rehearsal will be announced if needed. Chorus performs a Winter and Spring Concert each year (including an assembly program for the student body and an evening concert for families). In addition to in school performances, the students have sung for local nursing homes, Board of Education meetings, PTA functions, school events, and also the National Anthem for the Somerset Patriots Baseball Team. Past choral groups have collaborated with the American Boychoir for a Sharing Session, and we even produced our own CD in 2004. The chorus provides an excellent opportunity for your child to develop his/her singing potential and reinforces concepts taught in general music class. As your child learns the basics of singing posture, breath control, diction, phrasing, tone color, dynamics, and part-singing, they expand their skills and general musicianship as well. The choral program is child-centered. Singing for the sake of music or performance is not the goal of this group, as it has little lasting value for the student. Rather, the program is envisioned to provide an experience for the children to become active learners in the music-making process. Together with the primary purpose stated above, the broad goals of the choral program include: - Helping children develop a means of aesthetic expression and appreciation; - Helping children develop a varied repertoire of vocal literature including folk songs, art songs, sacred songs, songs of other cultures, and songs of the current genre; - Helping children understand the importance of corporate as well as personal experience and identity; - Helping children experience the joy and satisfaction of performing well for themselves and others; - Helping children develop skills and attitudes that will encourage them to use their singing voices as lifelong musical instruments. Children who demonstrate leadership in general music class who are members of the Irwin Chorus and are in good standing with punctual attendance may be considered for the All-District Chorus. Students who are selected do not have to pay an additional registration fee. Please feel free to see more on ADC in the FAQs below.Back to Top
Can I join Chorus if I am a member of Band or Strings?
Yes! There are no conflicts with practices or rehearsals. All of the ensembles perform together for our annual Winter and Spring Concerts.Back to Top
Can I join Chorus in the Spring?
Yes! Students who are interested in joining the ensemble for the Spring Concert may join us on our first rehearsal after the Winter Concert. Students who wish to participate in the Spring will need to pay the registration fee before they can participate.Back to Top
Who do I talk to if I have questions about the Irwin School Band or Orchestra?
Mrs. Michelle Lindner is our 5th Grade Band Director, and Ms. Lori Goldstein is our Beginner and Intermediate Strings Director. Both Mrs. Lindner and Ms. Goldstein have teacher websites on the Irwin School website.Back to Top
The All-District Elementary Chorus is an extra-curricular ensemble that meets after school (November through February) and provides students who participate in their home elementary school's chorus ensembles (in good standing) an opportunity to perform new and challenging choral repertoire with children from our other district elementary schools as part of a larger ensemble. The ADC members rehearse 1 hour after school on Wednesdays at EBHS from 3:45 - 4:45. Each year, the elementary ensemble performs two concerts. The first is the annual All- District Chorus Festival, where all of the District Choral groups (Elementary Schools, Hammarskjold, Churchill, and the High School) perform for one another. This is a great experience for the children, as it allows them the opportunity to meet new students with whom they will be going to Hammarskjold. In addition, it enables the children to see and experience firsthand, what they might expect as they continue singing in choral ensembles each year. Another valuable aspect of this ADC Festival is that each ensemble will have the opportunity to sing for and work with a professional choral guest clinician. Each year, the students look forward to taking advantage of this unique choral opportunity. The second performance will take place for parents, friends, and relatives and will occur the same day as the All-District Chorus Festival.Back to Top
When does All-District Chorus rehearse?
Rehearsal dates will take place on the following Wednesdays: November 12 November 19 December 3 December 10 December 17 January 7 January 14 January 21 January 28 February 4 - All-District Festival (AM) at Hammarskjold Performing Arts Center) and Dress Rehearsal after school at HMS PAC from 3:45-4:45 February 11 - Evening Concert for parents HMS PAC 7:00 PMBack to Top
Where do the All-District Chorus rehearsals take place?
All-District Chorus rehearsals take place in the Chorus Room (D- 7) at the High School. You will need to provide transportation (parent/guardian or pre-arranged carpool) to take your child from their home school to the High School for the rehearsal. Children should use entrance door that says "Music" toward the left/front side of the building, then follow the signs to the Chorus Room. Students will "sign-in" for attendance and receive a name tag each week outside the Chorus Room.Back to Top
What should I bring to the All-District Chorus rehearsal?
Each child will receive a folder of music for practicing. Pencils for markings will be provided at rehearsal.Back to Top
When will the All-District Chorus perform?
Festival will take place on February 4, 2009 (Hammarskjold Middle School Performing Arts Center) Evening concert for parents, relatives, and friends will be held on Wednesday, February 11 at 7PM (Hammarskjold Middle School Performing Arts Center)Back to Top
What should I wear for the All-District Chorus performances?
Children may wear regular school clothes for the morning festival performance. Children should wear concert attire for the evening concert (TBA).Back to Top
Why do we have a dance residency? From the time your child/ren begin music classes in the first grade, they will experience dance and movement as part of the music curriculum. However, dance, as its stands on its own as an arts discipline, is not offered as a class at the elementary level. The arts department and the music teachers strongly believe that dance is an invaluable art form, and as a result, children should have an authentic experience with dance before they reach middle school. Music and dance are interconnected, and the connections students make enhance their understanding of both subjects and allows for more ways to be creatively expressive. We have, therefore, incorporated a program (a unit lesson of study) for the 5th Grade students to work with professional dance/teaching artists. In the past, we have partnered with several professional dance companies including the Princeton Repertory Ballet, Randy James Dance Works, and the Carolyn Dorfman Dance Company. What will the children learn/experience through the dance residency? Last year's residency, "Speaking Through Dance," lead students through an exploration of expression of heritage and stories through movement and dance. The residency provided a dynamic and integrated approach involving the viewing, making, and understanding of dance and its elements. Students experienced the elements of Dance, Space-Time-Dynamics, and discussed how movement speaks on and off stage. The dance residency is usually "kicked off" with a performance for the students by the dance company and is followed by a question and answer session with the dancers and choreographer. The students then begin working with the dancers/teaching artists during 4 of their scheduled music classes(with their homeroom). During these four sessions, the children start participating in movement and discussion about their bodies and get an overview about the history/styles of dance. They also begin to learn about movement as an expressive tool (telling stories, representing feelings and emotions, culture, and everyday life without words). Warm-ups are used daily, and basic steps are spiraled into a choreographed dance. The children learn to create parts of the dance based on their experience during the residency to demonstrate what they've learned. Finally, the children perform their choreographed dance for an outside audience. Overall, the residency is geared toward the following goals: To broaden the students' knowledge and appreciation of Dance To develop physical skills To develop cognitive and perceptual skills To foster growth and emotional skills How can I help? The teaching artists are very skilled and knowledgeable and have been extremely professional in the past. Please encourage your children to show you what they've learned and remind them to stay positive and do their best, as it will only make their experience more valuable and memorable. The children will be assessed on the quality of their participation and progress throughout the residency as part of their music class grade for that marking period. I encourage your children to check out the following websites related to their studies on dance: The American Repertory Ballet of Princeton, NJ http://www.arballet.org The American Ballet Theater of New York City Click on the photo library http://www.abt.org/gallery/default.asp The San Francisco Ballet of California Information on ballet terms, positions, history, and pictures. http://www.sfballet.org/performancestickets/planyourvisit/firsttim eballet.asp The New York City Ballet Here, kids can explore the world of ballet. http://www.nycballet.com/families/families.html The New Jersey Ballet This is a beautiful gallery of ballet photos. http://www.njballet.org/gallery/ Randy James Dance Works Find out about this modern dance group in New Jersey. http://www.rjdw.org ArtsAlive All about music, theater, and dance. Click on Dance to find out about the history, vocabulary, and different styles of dance. http://artsalive.ca Carolyn Dorfman Dance Company A unique contemporary dance group that focuses on dance as an expressive and communicative art form. http://www.carolyndorfmandanceco.org What role does the music teacher have in the dance residency? My role is mainly that of a facilitator. I assist the teaching artists and participate in all of the activities with the students. I can assure you that I have learned a lot from participating in this residency, and it is a wonderful asset to the music program in East Brunswick. Important reminders! Please have your children wear comfortable clothes and sneakers on the days they meet with the teaching artists. Girls should refrain from wearing dresses, skirts or heels to music classes on residency days to ensure their comfort and safety.Back to Top
Where can my child take private music instruction?
East Brunswick Academy of Music www.academyofmusiconmain.com 159 Main St East Brunswick, NJ 08816 (732) 238-8871 Westminster Conservatory of Music www.rider.edu 101 Walnut Lane Princeton, NJ 08540 (609) 921-7104 Westminster Princeton Academy (609) 921-7893 Westminster South Brunswick Campus (732) 329-8911Back to Top
What dates will my child/ren be working with the teaching artists?
Mrs. Sountis - Ms. McEwan - Ms. Vedvyas - Ms. Fallon - Students are reminded to wear comfortable clothes and sneakers during their music class periods. Girls should avoid wearing dresses/skirts on these days as well.Back to Top