WELCOME, FELLOW MUSIC ENTHUSIASTS!!!
WELCOME, ADVANCED RECORDER STUDENTS! We began rehearsals on Friday,
January 27th and meet every Friday that we have school. Practice, practice,
practice, and let your parents know on Friday mornings if they need to pick
you up at 4 because you aren't testing for a stripe or at 4:15 because you
are testing for a stripe.
The Chorus and Advanced Recorder students will have their first performance
of this calendar year on Friday, March 16th, at the fair. It is during
spring break, and parents have been asked to let me know if they are planning
for their child to attend so I can get passes for each performer and two of
his/her family members to get into the fairgrounds without having to pay.
They will perform on the first day of the fair from 6 to 6:25 p.m., and then
all of the performers and their family members can go enjoy the rest of the
fair. Since this is not a formal concert, dress for the performance will be
our current Lakeview Jog-A-Thon tee-shirt and long pants. Any comfortable
winter shoes will be fine. It will be a fun time!
Their next show will be the week after that on Thursday, March 22nd. They
will perform from 9 to 9:15 a.m. in the Media Center of the school (Lakeview)
for the Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast. Perhaps you will be one of the
honorees. Dress for this poccasion will also be our current Lakeview Jog-A-
Thon tee-shirt and long pants. Any shoes appropriate for school will be
fine.
On Friday, January 13, 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. 8, 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. 13, 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 light and
hospitality help to make it very special.
On Tuesday, Oct. 18, 3rd, 4th & 5th grade music students viewed a live
performance by Ariel, a famous international string quartet, that has been
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. 27, all 4th & 5th graders performed on the indoor stage
during their Specials times in the morning 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 are being 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 is teaching 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.
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 work together every year 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 troupe, 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 music educator, Karen Rochon, and some of
her students.
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 will begin 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 Corchestra 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 Thursdays after school. Friends in
this ensemble are encouraged to get together at home to practice their
music. They must be dedicated to making progress in order to remain members
of this advanced performing group. Please see the FAQ section of this web
site for specific information about renting violins and for information about
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
white shirt/blouse
dark shoes and socks (please no high heels)
Our HOLIDAY CONCERT and SPRING CONCERT are 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! Please see the CALENDAR section of this web site for more
details. Thanks.
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
