Program Prep and Composers

This week we are making sure that our program songs are memorized. (Parent Program March 24 at 2:30 PM, other guests Friday, March 25 classroom visitation at 2:00, music program at 2:45 PM.) We are beginning to work on logistics as well. Assessments for the last report card will begin this week also. One of the first grade classes had a special guest. Mr. Louisell visited to show them a banjo. They were reading a book about a frog with a banjo and made the invitation to him. Other classes have been singing along with an autoharp. Mrs. Louisell has one that has 21 chords. It's a little different than our Vowles instruments with 15 chords. Ask your children about our stretching routine. This week the music is Hungarian Rhapsody number 3 by Brahms. He is the last of the composers on our 'wall of fame' to be heard. We have already stretched to music by: Bach, Handel, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, and Saint-Saiens.

Extra for the Weekend!

The Shepherd Maple Syrup Festival takes place this weekend. Saturday there will be a concert performed by the Central Michigan Area Concert Band at 6:30 PM in the Shepherd High School Auditorium. Mrs. Louisell and Mrs. Hofmeister play in this band. Check out this concert which features favorites like "Highlights from West Side Story," "The Stars and Stripes Forever," "Overture for Band," and "Peanut Vendor" as well as newer pieces like "Silver Quill March" and "Variations on the Kitchen Sink." (Yes, there is a kitchen sink played in that song.) The concert will last around an hour and is great way to spend part of your evening. Also, watch for Mrs. Louisell in the Central Michigan Strollers in the parade on Sunday. The Strollers will be the band wearing red shirts and riding on a trailer.

Music Program Presented May 24 & 25

We are working toward our spring performances! Parents are invited to share the performance on May 24 at 2:30 PM. Grandparents and other VIPs are invited for an afternoon visitation to Vowles School Friday, May 25 beginning at 2:00 PM with the musical performance scheduled for 2:45 PM. Save the date and join us! The third and fourth graders have been busy with some 'acting' to go with one of their songs. They will also have a chance to experience the poetry and music of Saint-Saiens and his Carnival of the Animals." Kindergartners are also having an experience in acting. First and Second graders have been using chords to accompany one of their songs. They used both boomwackers and xylophones to make the chords. Ask them about I and V chords. Selected students are looking forward to drumming this afternoon in the Vowles BEST celebration.

Thursday's District Event

Tomorrow the Mt. Pleasant Schools Foundation is holding an "Inspire" event at the high school from 6:00-8:00 PM. Come and see what types of things are being offered in the Mt. Pleasant Schools. Vowles and Ganiard music will host a table full of instruments to try as well as show videos of performances. I hope you can join us there. In music class we have finished our peek at the brass instruments. We are beginning to polish songs for our May performances. Save the date: May 24 for parents, May 25 for other guests. Both during school in the afternoon. We are also beginning the last round of assessments. These include rhythm patterning (and writing) and singing in a group.

Save the Date

I hope everyone had a great spring break. (I spent mine resting, playing music and visiting family.) This week we are tying up all the loose ends from March. A few classes are finishing the stories with sound effects. Others are practicing writing rhythms with craft sticks. All students will get a chance to see brass instruments this week. I will be demonstrating the bugle, trumpet, trombone and sousaphone. Ask your children how these instruments change pitches. We will be choosing songs and begin practicing for our spring concerts soon. These are opportunities for us to share a little bit of what we have done this year. Save the date! Parents will be invited to see us perform during the afternoon of May 24. Grandparents and other VIP guests will be invited the afternoon of May 25. I hope you will be able to attend and support your children as performers.

March is Much

We are winding down Music in Our Schools Month and Reading Month by combining the two in our activities. By the end of the week all students should have had a chance to hear one of two fables, "The Three Billy Goats Gruff" or "How the Camel Got His Hump." These fables have key words where a musical instrument is played and also have a short song that goes with them. The song is accompanied by our xylophones and glockenspiels. It is difficult to listen carefully enough to not miss an opportunity to play! (Ask your children about the vibraslap, gong, casaba, guiro, bell tree, claves or ocean drum.)
First and second graders have also enjoyed the story of "Peter and the Wolf" with some acting and a video as well as a book. Third and fourth graders will be hearing "The Carnival of the Animals." Spring break is close. Please have a safe and happy week off!

Nice Job, Fourth Graders!

Monday evening's Peacemaking Awards Ceremony featured many of Vowles fourth graders along with students from Ganiard and Fancher. They sounded great! Good job students! There was not a time when the students could all rehearse together, so they sang together for the absolute first time at the ceremony. Thanks so much to all who participated! You were wonderful!