WELCOME, FELLOW MUSIC ENTHUSIASTS!!!
OUR CHORUS AND ADVANCED RECORDER STUDENTS PUT ON A GREAT SHOW AT THE FAIR ON
FRIDAY, MARCH 16th. Then they performed again on THURSDAY MARCH 22nd for the
VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION BREAKFAST. Perhaps you were one of the honorees!
They finished the school year with three performances on May 22nd and a field
trip on May 24th to the Embracing Our differences Exhibit at Bayshore Park
and the Biggers Exhibit at the John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art.
On Friday, January 13th, Lakview's chorus and violin students attended a
schooltime performance of STEP AFRIKA! at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall,
sponsored by The Education Foundation. As usual, our students represented
their school well, and a fabulous time was had by all! This trip was funded
by an EXPLORATION GRANT FROM BANK OF AMERICA AND THE PATTERSON FOUNDATION
THROUGH THE EDUCATION FOUNDATION.
On Thursday, Dec. 8th, all 2nd graders performed HOW THE PENGUINS SAVED
CHRISTMAS for K-3 students and staff. Mrs. McCart's 5th grade class gave a
special presentation of 'TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS to the younger
students. Many parents joined us. Everyone had great time!
On Tuesday, Dec. 13th, all 1st graders performed, along with the 4th & 5th
grade chorus and violin students, at 8:45 and 9:30 a.m. for Lakeview's K-5
students and staff. They performed again at 7 p.m. that evening at Grace
Baptist Church on the east end of Bee Ridge Rd for families and other
community members. We are grateful to Grace's staff and members for opening
their doors to us every year for this wonderful event. Their holiday lights
and their hospitality help to make it very special.
On Tuesday, Oct. 18th, 3rd, 4th & 5th grade music students viewed a live
performance by ARIEL, a famous international string quartet, that was brought
to Sarasota by the Perlman Program. Our students were able to tune in over
SAFARI LIVE and chat with the musicians on the web.
On Thursday, Oct. 27th, all 4th & 5th graders performed EDUCATION ROCKS! for
K-3 students and staff, and many of them performed again at 6 p.m. that
evening on the outdoor stage for Carnival attendees. A great time was had by
all!
NEWSFLASH!
Lakeview's Violin Ensembles were taught again this year by Roxane Solowey,
who performs with the Sarasota Orchestra. She has been a friend of Lakeview
for years, ever since her own children attended here. It is motivating for
our students to be taught by a professional violinist. We are grateful to
our principal and bookkeeper for finding funds to keep supporting this
valuable program.
Mrs. Solowey teaches the beginners and the second year students on different
days. Less experienced violinists attend weekly on Mondays or Tuesdays from
3 to 4, and experienced violinists attend on Wednesdays from 3 to 4. Violin
students perform at Lakeview's concerts in December and May.
On APRIL 30th, Mrs. Solowey and her string quartet, called Musicians Out of
the Box, edfor all of our Lakeview students on our indoor stage. They
combined music with story telling. Lakeview parents were invited to join
us.
GENERAL INFORMATION
I am so very happy to be at Lakeview again this year. All students in
kindergarten through fifth grade participate in lessons in my classroom. They
sing, dance, play instruments, listen to music, discuss it, read and write
music, and help each other cooperate in learning more about where we live as
well as the cultures of other places in the world.
Our students study music and art from many places. Mrs. Rittmeyer (Art
Teacher) and I often work together on multicultural projects. Year before
last, we focused on the theme of WE ARE FAMILY, utilizing grants from The
Education Foundation of Sarasota County. We put on an April show, the WE
ARE FAMILY CELEBRATION. Included on Lakeview's stage were all of our second
graders as well as our creative and dependable artists in residence from the
local professional dance company, Fuzion Dance, Inc. Last year's Edge of
Excellence grant was funded by the Wachovia Wells Fargo Foundation. Leymis
Bolanos Wilmott, Co-Founder and Artistic Director of Fuzion, again
collaborated with us to provide dance instruction in creative movement based
around the theme of Igor Stravinsky's "Firebird Suite". Two second grade
classes performed their original dances on stage April 21st at an event that
culminated both the "Creative Firebirds" project and phase two of our "We Are
Family" project, which was funded by the Leslie and Margaret Weller Arts
Education Program of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County.
The "Family" project was a collaboration with Oak Park's music educator,
Karen Rochon, and some of her students.
This year's Education Foundation Grant was called STEP AFRIKA! Lakeview
Chorus and Violin students enjoyed a wonderful experience at Van Wezel, and,
afterwards, chorus membershave worked with Ms. Wilmott, our Fuzion Dance
partner, to create an original piece for our spring concert. They were very
excited to present it to the rest of the school and to their families and
community on May 22nd.
Every year at Lakeview, our third graders study the RECORDER in their general
music classes. Recorders are vertical flutes which may be purchased at local
music stores or from the music department at the school. The school sells
them to Lakeview students at cost. Any third grader who cannot afford to
purchase a recorder can get one through a scholarship.
Students earn stripes on their recorders as they progress to higher levels of
achievement (much like like belts in martial arts). We appreciate the
efforts of parents in encouraging their children to practice (see FAQ section
of this site for ideas about helping them want to study), and we very much
appreciate the parents who have donated extra dollars to help us provide
recorders for children who can't afford them.
The ADVANCED RECORDER ENSEMBLE meets on Fridays after school during the second
semester. Students who have earned the blue stripe by the end of the first
semester are invited to participate. Please see the FAQ section of this web
site for specific information about the recorder program, including a
complete list of stripes the children can earn. These invitations have been
distributed for this year, and the completed forms are due back to Mrs. Johns
in Janury. We began rehearsing on Friday, Jan. 27th. See the RECORDER
GALLERY for pictures and more information about the Advanced Recorder
Ensemble. These dedicated youngsters perform at school and in the community,
and, as with all of Lakeview's ensembles, they wear their black and white
clothing whenever they perform (see below).
Lakeview's fourth and fifth graders go to Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall for
the SARASOTA ORCHESTRA YOUNG PEOPLE's CONCERT every year in the spring.
(Sarasota Orchestra is the new name for the Florida West Coast Symphony.) We
appreciate the many things they do for our students. Sarasota Orchestra has
a comprehensive education program, including a youth orchestra program.
Beginners and intermediate students meet on Saturday mornings. Advanced
groups meet on Monday evenings. They also have SUMMER CAMPS for beginners
through advanced level students and even have adult classes. See the LINKS
section of this web site for more information about this and other
opportunities.
CHORUS for fourth and fifth graders meets each Thursday after school.
Members of the ensembles are encouraged to get together at home to practice
their music. They must be dedicated to making progress in order to remain in
these advanced performing groups. Please see the FAQ section of this web
site for specific information about ensembles, including the school's late
pick-up policy. You can also see the CHORUS GALLERY and STRINGS GALLERY on
this site for pictures.
Lakeview music ensembles wear CONCERT CLOTHING for all formal performances.
long black pants (please no jeans or shorts)
white shirt/blouse (please no tee shirts)
dark shoes and socks (please no high heels)
Our HOLIDAY CONCERT and SPRING CONCERT were held at Grace Baptist Church
on east Bee Ridge Road. We very much appreciate the staff and members at
Grace for opening their doors to give us such a beautiful venue for our
families to enjoy. The flowers, lights, and welcoming atmosphere are
wonderful. Performing along with our Chorus and Violin Ensembles at the
Holiday Concert each year are Lakeview's first graders. In the spring, the
Advanced Recorder students put on a show with the Chorus and Violin
Ensembles. All of the students demonstrate their hard work. We are so very
proud of them!
I am honored to be a part of Lakeview Elementary School. We have a great
staff from the administration on down. I really hope you will feel free to
contact me if you have questions or suggestions. Your child's complete
education is a high priority for me.
THANK YOU for looking at my web site!
karen_johns@sarasota.k12.fl.us
