Things Planned for Term 2

Well, term 2 has well and truly started.

This term we have three weekly practice sessions at full steam.

Marimba Festival - September 5th Concert

Because of intense interest in the Marimba Band, I've decided to split this into Middle School Marimba Band - Practices on Wednesday Lunchtime, and Senior School Marimba Band - Practices on Thursdays, last block (as part of Arts Rotation).

The Senior School Band will prepare for the ONZA Marimba Festival on September 5th, while the Middle School Band will prepare for Whanau (School) Assemblies  and other things (below).

Ukelele Band - November 28th Concert

This band will begin in week 3 and prepare for the Ukelele Festival Concert at Trusts Stadium November 28th. We have so far enlisted the help of parents, grandparents and teachers to help prepare the kids for this fabulous occasion. 

I'll post more details soon. 

 Orff Creative Play Festival - June 14th 

On Sunday June 14th - not far away from today - a number of the Auckland-based teachers of the Orff approach to music and arts education will hold the first festival to celebrate what our children can do when their creativity and imagination join forces. This event is promoted by ONZA.

This will be held at Stonefields School, Mt. Wellington. 

The children will develop an original performance with me, using the Orff approach. This performance will be based on an aspect their life that is meaningful and relevant to them. The inspiration point will be a piece of language based on toys.

This is a non-competitive event, set up to support, feedback and celebrate the creative process of Orff and the combined use of movement, text/drama and music.

Over the next week I will select middle school children who express interest in this activity.  I will then contact their parents about their family's availability to participate.   The Middle school children only will participate in this.  

Other Concerts 

I will soon have details of our kids performing to the retired people in the local retirement villages  also. 

Giant Pipes

The Jandal-aphone

And the foot-ware is off.

The Middle School playground of colour and sound.

All in.

Nakita helps Mr. McLay attach the D-pipe.

Sharing the Love

Here's what fellow teacher Isla Noakes can do in one day with three classes and our
G E O R G O U S  marimba.  A song, rhythm, and the kids' excitement of singing their lungs out to an appreciative audience.


It's wonderful to be teaching alongside another musician who takes things off in unexpected directions. Isla's such a native (natural) musician.

Bamboozle-a-phone | A Musical Installation

As part of the Enviroweek, I teamed up with Mrs. Renner and Room 13 to build some outdoor musical instruments. The first one to be completed has been named the "Bamboozle-a-phone" by Mrs. Hodder's Room 14 kids. I talked to them about our music room instruments - xylophone (wooden instrument), metalaphone (metal instrument), marimba (giant xylophone).  We toyed with several ideas for names that had elements of those instruments.  Bamboozle-a-phone was the most popular.

Our "bamboozle-a-phone" is made of 9 pieces of  bamboo poles (of varying lengths) strung along two high tension wires and horizontal spacers. The sound comes from tapping the poles with another piece of bamboo.

The name definitely fits with our Dr. Seuss theme for the year. I only hope the noise doesn't bamboozle Miss. Eyre - it's right outside her classroom.

Half of the Musical Enviro-garden 

Preparing the bamboo poles for sealing

Bamboo poles laid out on my garage floor before drilling holes

Holes did not quite line up as planned - hence the random look!

Simply Enjoyable

We've been exploring the ukelele. Here is us learning simple chords. This is a Kevin Fogarty song, "Aotearoa Alphabet".

Ukeleles unboxed

The ukeleles now have new homes.  I have unwrapped the instruments and put the cardboard boxes through my band saw.  Cut down and glued to Pak 'n Save carry bags, they are now portable and can be stored safely.

Ukeleles in their new carry cases.

This past week we began learning the basics of ukelele in our music classes.

We covered things like:

• correct posture
• hand positions
• reading chord charts
• C & F chords

 The children are really enthusiastic. And I'm having a ball.

Soundscapes

We are going to introduce a web-based music education app later this term.  The  school-wide licence will enable children to complete projects, collaborate and compose in class, in the library or at home.

Parents will be able to get involved in this online music-making.
More on that later.  Here is sample screenshot of how to create
a soundscape on the Groovy Music App.

In our second lesson we created a soundscape on the Groovy Music app. Then we began exploring the sounds of the Orff instruments (marimba, xylophones, metalophones and recorders, plus a few ukelele).

The class had a taste of creating their own soundscapes. They were encouraged to adapt and work impromptu on 'real' instruments. After some preparation, each group performed to the class.

Room 21 creating a soundscape

Room 21 - Soundscaping 

One group of three girls from Room 24 (Leilani, Kimberly and Javiyah) created a very beautiful piece. The other children asked to join in to add their own sounds to the imaginative soundscape. Take a look!