2012-2013 MUSIC SELECTION FORM LINK TO PRINT

FLORENCE SAWYER SCHOOL
MIDDLE SCHOOL MUSIC 2012-2013


NAME______________________________________ Current GRADE and HOMEROOM__________

To: All 2012-2013 Middle School Students:
It is again time to make your course selections for next year’s music program.
As explained to you by Mr. Ryan and Mr. Kelly, you are able to participate in band, chorus, or both band and chorus. If you do not wish to be in either performing group, you can choose general music.
Please note: if you choose both band and chorus, you may have to divide your time between the two, based on scheduling.
This selection is a very important decision and needs to be well thought out in advance. This spring, we will be grouping students into the three music areas and participation will begin on the first day of school in the fall. Any changes in your music schedule will be considered by Mr. Bates, as it involves scheduling, class size, etc. Any approval changes are only made when there is a natural schedule break such as trimesters or performances. Please note: We are working on the manner in which band, chorus and general music are to be scheduled for next year. There may be some minor changes, but for now, the music program is set up basically like this:

Band: Band lessons meet once per cycle. Full band meets twice per six day cycle.

Chorus: Grade level choruses (separate 6th, 7th, and 8th) meet twice per six day cycle.

General Music: Grade level general music class meets twice, maybe once, per six day cycle.


Remember, all decisions are final. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask Mr. Ryan, Mr. Kelly, or Mr. Bates.



I CHOOSE:


____ BAND Instrument_________________________


____CHORUS


____BAND AND CHORUS (Please specify your 1st and 2nd choice with a 1, 2): ____Band ___Chorus


____GENERAL MUSIC



Signature of Student __________________________________________ Date____________

To: Parents of Grades 4-8 Chorus Members
From: Don Ryan
December 5, 2011 WINTER CHORAL NIGHT !!
DECEMBER 14, 2011

This is a reminder of our annual grades 4-8 Winter Concert, Wednesday, December 14, daytime tba, and evening at 6:30 and 7:45. Participating will be:
Grade 4 Chorus (all 4th grade students)
Grade 5 Chorus (all 5th grade students)
Grades 6, 7 and 8 Choruses

On the 14th, the grades four and five choruses will perform on the Sawyer stage from 6:30-7:15 (note the earlier starting time). At 7:15, elementary parents and students would have to leave as the middle school parents and choruses will be arriving. The middle school chorus concert will begin at 7:45 and go to approximately 8:30.
Grades 4 and 5 students should arrive at 6:15 and go directly to the gym for preparation, instructions, and warm-ups.
Grades 6-8 students should arrive at 7:30 and go directly to the gym.

If seats are available, students done performing are welcome to sit in the audience with their parents to watch the other performing groups.
Important: The kids worked long and hard to put the concerts together for all of you. You can support all of our performers by staying until the end of the entire concert (4/5 or 6/7/8).

The only problem we foresee is managing the parking. Please do not park on the road between Emerson and Sawyer. Because of the two evening concerts, cars will be entering and leaving simultaneously via that road. Parking is allowed on the road behind the Sawyer School.

December 21, is grades 5-8 "Band Night."

The day concerts are for Sawyer students and staff only due to limited seating in the auditorium.
Attendance, day and evening, by all performers is mandatory. An unavoidable absence needs to be preceded by an email or note to me. The students have been working very hard to put a great show together for you. I’m sure you’ll be impressed, entertained by their efforts, and thrust into the Holiday spirit. We’re all looking forward to this one.

Concert dress for the evening concert is as follows:
Boys: black pants, white shirts, shoes
Girls: black pants or skirt, white shirts, or white or light colored dress, shoes
*Please, no t-shirts, jeans, white or colored sneakers. But, do the best with what you have, don't buy anything. Plain white golf (polo) shirts are fine. Dark sneakers OK if no shoes are available.

For the day concert, students may wear their usual school clothes, as long as it's neat and presentable.

We are always appreciative and desperately in need of help from parent volunteers for the evening concerts to assist with supervising students in the gym before and after they perform. If you would like to help us, please contact me at dryan@nrsd.net. You will still be able to watch your child perform.

Also, please visit the chorus/general music website (via Sawyer web) for information, current concert music and accompaniments, calendar dates, Central District info and music, useful and fun music links.

If there are any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
And a sincere thank you for your strong and continued support.

Don Ryan (choruses)

A NOTE FROM THE MUSIC FOLKS - GRADES K-8

Don Ryan,  Tim Kelly

 

Welcome parents, to the FlorenceSawyerSchool’s Music Department. We’re looking forward to another fine year in both the classroom and on the stage.

 

We’d also like to give you a brief overview of the curriculum, performance groups, winter concert dates, and other goings on in the Music Department.  (Teachers: DR and TK)

ELEMENTARY MUSIC PROGRAM

Kindergarten (DR) is once again scheduled for music and we'll be concentrating mostly on singing, movement, pitch (high-low), beat, tempo and basic rhythm (Orff/Kodaly), performed on rhythm instruments. Sign language is used to add hand motion to our music in grades K-2.

The first grade (DR), will reinforce the skills acquired in kindergarten and will be beginning basic sight-reading/singing and the reading of and performance of simple rhythms (Orff/Kodaly), again with rhythm instruments. Sign language is used for hand movement. Also included is an introduction to keyboards as well as music from other lands. Students will be able to progress at each individual’s own pace.

The second grade (DR) is a continuation of the skills learned in first grade as well as a good part of the fall devoted to understanding the instruments of the orchestra. Rounds and simple form are included as well as the relationship of melody and rhythm in song. Basic keyboard and piano skills are introduced in the spring.

In the third grade (TK), emphasis is on melody and rhythm. The students study basic music theory and begin learning the song flute partway through the year in preparation for playing band instruments at the start of the fourth grade. The song flute classes will be performing in the spring fourth/fifth grade band/chorus concert.

All fourth grade (DR) students belong to the combined fourth grade chorus and concerts are performed in December and late spring. The classes are more of a combination of choral skills and general music. Also, in the fourth grade, students begin lessons on band instruments (TK) and also perform in the spring concert. Although band is voluntary, nearly every student is involved.

Fifth grade (DR, TK) students continue both band and chorus, with more intense choral and instrumental skills than in fourth grade, continued general music, and both the winter and spring performances.

MIDDLE SCHOOL MUSIC PROGRAM

The Middle School Music Program is arranged much differently than the elementary school. Students in grades six, seven and eight must choose to participate in band, chorus, both band and chorus, or general music.

The middle school instrumental program (TK) consists of the combined grades 7/8 band and the separate sixth grade band. The middle school choral program (DR) consists of sixth through eighth grade choruses. All the groups perform concerts in the winter and late spring as well as the occasional “road trip.” Seventh and eighth grade singers and players are also encouraged to audition for the Massachusetts Central District ensembles and the band will be participating in the MICCA competition, which will be held the first weekend in April.

Sixth grade general music (DR) has a major focus on aural identification and concentrates mostly on the instruments of the orchestra, classical form, composers and traditional country music.

Seventh grade general music, (TK) is also for those not participating in band or chorus. This class involves a "hands on" exploration of recording techniques. Students will write, perform, and record scripts using background music and sound effects. The ability to read music is not a requirement.

In eighth grade general music, (DR) students spend a good part of the year studying the history of rock and roll via jazz, folk and blues. Students will be composing original blues compositions. Also covered are opera, ballet and musicals.

Jazz band (TK) will be offered this year with rehearsals scheduled after school, on Tuesdays. The MAJE festival will be held in early May and our participation is a possibility.

CONCERTS

This December, we're going to repeat our concert format, presenting separate chorus and band concert nights. December 14, is "Chorus Night." December 20, is "Band Day" and December 21, is "Band Night."

On the 14th, the grades four and five choruses will perform on the Sawyer stage from
6:30-7:15 (note the early starting time). At 7:15, parents and students would have to leave as the middle school parents and choruses will be arriving. The middle school chorus concert will begin at 7:45 and go to approximately 8:30.

December 21, is "Band Night," although the fourth grade band will NOT be performing. The concert will begin at 7:00, with the fifth grade band, and we will not have the changeover period. If seats are available, students done performing are welcome to sit in the audience with their parents to watch the rest the other performing groups.

The choruses and bands will also be performing during the day for the students and staff, times TBA. Parents are not invited to the day concerts because of limited seating in the auditorium. The day performances for the choruses are also on December 14. The bands will perform in the day on December 20.

The spring concerts are scheduled as follows: 4-8 Choruses - Thursday, May 31; daytime for Sawyer students and staff, evening for family and friends. 4-8 Bands: Tuesday, June 5; daytime for Sawyer students and staff. Wednesday, June 6; evening for family and friends.

We are always in need and gratefully accepting of help from parent volunteers for the evening chorus and band concerts to assist with supervising students in the gym before and after they perform. If you would like to help us, please contact Don (dryan@nrsd.net) or Tim (tkelly@nrsd.net). You will still be able to watch your child perform.

WEBSITE

We invite you to peruse our music website. Concert dates and additional information are posted as well as our current grades 4-8 chorus music, with midi accompaniment, for practicing at home. Also included are the grades 6 and 8 general music assignments and resources as well as grades 7/8 Central District information. The Music Links page contains links to music dictionaries, online lessons, online metronomes, and a link to great, free music composition software called Finale Notepad.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

That’s all the news for now. Spring concert dates for chorus and band are already posted on the calendar page of this website. If you have any questions and concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact Don or Tim.

We’re looking forward to another great year for Sawyer music. As always, thank you for your strong and continued support. We need it, your kids need and deserve it, and we all truly appreciate it.

Don Ryan

Vocal/General Music

Tim Kelly
Instrumental Music

9/13/11