Recorder Club: Rehearsing for Music Day

Videos from your homeworks

Some of the links you are sending me are pretty interesting, so I thought it would be a good idea if I share them with you!

Click the link next to each name to see the video:

Ayumi, 4th grade:  Meade Lux Lewis - Boogie Woogie

Eva, 5th grade:     Ragtime Banjo : GUS CANNON . " Hollywood rag " (1928)
                             Chuck Berry & Etta James - Rock and Roll Music (1986)

Alkmini, 4th grade: Boogie Woogie Piano Tommy Johnson
                                Jerry Lee Lewis - The Wild One

Lawrence, 4th grade: TOMMY DORSEY & ORCHESTRA : WOOGIE BOOGIE


Adam, 4th grade: Boogie Woogie Piano

Michelle, 5th grade: Johan Blohm from The Refreshments plays boogie woogie

Angel Huang, 5th grade: John Arpin plays Bohemia Rag at the Bohem Festival
                                        End of the Road - Jerry Lee Lewis

Henry, 6th grade: "Lewis Boogie" - Jerry Lee Lewis

                              History of Boogie Woogie Documentary 1985 - part 3          
                             Very interesting!

                              Stravinsky plays Strvinsky Rag Music

Orfeas, 5th grade: Ragtime life

                              Danny Boy - J.L.Lewis

                              Let it rock - Chuck Berry

Sydney, 5th grade: Jerry Lee Lewis - Crazy Arms
                      
                              Eric Clapton, Chuck Berry & Keith Richards " WE WE HOURS "

Philip, 5th grade:  Star Wars | "Cantina Band" | Ragtime Piano Duet

                             RARE: The Beatles singing Johnny B. Goode

Michael, 6th grade:   Holiday, Green Day ragtime version

                                 Guitar Boogie Woogie

                                Green Day live: J.B.Goode cover

HISTORY OF MUSIC: The evolution of music part 1 (4th, 5th and 6th grade)

Hi everybody!

As I promised, we are going to split the lesson for the music history in 2 parts: Classical and Modern.

Which were the steps music did in order you to listen to your favourite music today?
Which was the route for its evolution?

We will try to follow this path step by step...

- Ragtime (peak popularity years : 1897 - 1918) Ragtime music was born in N. Orleans and it was original played by black bands. It became very famous in the whole world as a combination of ragtime and classical European music  as : the Cakewalk dance. Famous classical composers back at that time, like Debussy,  created music based on ragtime.
One of the most famous composers of ragtime was Scott Joplin (Entertainer, Maple Leaf Rag etc)
 Here below you can listen to some of ragtime music videos:


Please, click the link at the right to see the video:

  



The Entertainer (1902)

 The Maple Leaf Rag (animated piano)

Debussy plays Debussy Golliwogg's Cakewalk (1913)









After Ragtime, our next stop is at 1928: The year,  Boogie Woogie was born. The ancestor of upbeat  music was a short strange music  composition called: "Pinetop's Boogie Woogie":

                                                                              

    



Neville Dickie playing Pinetops Boogie Woogie









Boogie Woogie was instantly accepted and loved and it got more and more fans all over the planet.
The origin of the term was unknown for many years, however , one of the most interesting linguistic suggestions is Dr J. Tennison's who said that Boog  and Booga in  many African Dialects means Beat as in  beating the drum.  In West African the word "Bogi" means: Dance.


Boogie Woogie got so famous, that in 1948 Walt Disney created the animated film Melody Line  including the Boogie Woogie variation of Rimsky Korsakov's "Flight of the Bumblebee", performed by Freddy Martin and his orchestra:

Disney and Freddy Martin - Bumble Boogie, 1948








This song is still one of the most famous Boogie Woogie music ever performed. Listen to this video with  a modern version performance:

Boogie Woogie : Jools Holland - "Bumble Boogie"








The period  1948 - 1950 is the time we had a new transition- a new evolution in the Music History.
Boogie Woogie, evoluted into Rock ' n ' Roll.


Chuck Berry, is considered one of the pioneers of Rock 'n ' Roll music. 
With songs such as: Maybellene, Roll over Beethoven and Johny B. Goode,  he introduced the new beat, Rock 'n' Roll  to the whole world:

Chuck Berry - Maybellene (live 1958)


Roll Over Beethoven - Chuck Berry


Johnny B. Goode - Chuck Berry



Johny B. Goode has been covered by many famous artists, some among them are John Lennon, Eric Clapton, ACDC, Guns 'n ' Roses, Green Days etc - also included in the movie "Back to the Future".

Marty McFly with the Starlighters "Johnny B. Goode"

Green Day "Johnny B Goode" cover







In 1986, Chuck Berry was inducted into the Rock ' n ' Roll Hall of Fame.
In 1999, "Johny B Goode" was inducted into the "Grammy Hall of Fame"  for its influence as a rock ' n ' roll single.
In 2008, the magazine "Rolling Stone" placed it at #1 on their list of the "100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time"

Chuck Berry - Johnny B. Goode w/ Bruce Springsteen and the the E Street Band - Concert in Hall of Fame








One of the most famous early pioneers of Rock ' n ' Roll Music is,  Jerry Lee Lewis AKA: "The Killer".  He was the first performer inducted into the Hall of Fame. His song: "Great Balls of Fire"  considered an epic composition:

Jerry Lee Lewis Great Balls of Fire

Great Balls of Fire - the movie






As a pianist, "The Killer" Jerry Lee Lewis always complained because he had to sit down during his shows.
 Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash suggested him to stand up. Jerry Lee accepted their advice. 
So he started to kick the chairs, to go up on the keyboards and even to burn pianos...

Jerry Lee Lewis - Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On (1957)











HOMEWORK:



1 link for Ragtime music
1 link for Boogie Woogie music
1 link for a song from C. B or J.L.L
1 link for a cover from one of the above  rock ' n ' roll composers

Presentations from 5th and 6th grade:

Here is the list with the names and the bands - I still waiting some of you to tell me your subject.
Especially, the 5th graders....

Matthew, Michael and Rei (6th grade): Poster - GREEN DAY

Ai-Lin, Ruby (6th grade): Poster - PINK

Ryan (6th grade) : Poster - DRAKE

Henry (6th grade): Poster - MIKE POSNER

Joseph (6th grade) : Poster - ABBA

Cindy, Hasuka (6th grade) : Poster - SNSD GIRLS GENERATION

Aileen, Angel, Camille and Hsuan Hsuan (6th grade) : Poster - CONNIE TALBOT

Orfeas (5th grade) : Poster - METALLICA

Jenny Yang, Tina (5th grade): Poster - JESSIE J.

Philip, Tusmitha ( 5th grade): Poster - STEVE WONDER

Jenny Wu (5th grade):  Poster -CELINE DION

Sharon (5th grade): Poster - TAYLOR SWIFT

Sydney (5th grade): Poster - SELINA GOMEZ AND THE SCENE

Angel Su (5th grade): Poster - MILEY CYRUS

Michelle (5th grade): Poster - CARPENTERS

Eva (5th grade): Poster - LENKA

Angel Huang (5th grade): Poster - ANDREA BOCELLI

Mizuna and Mako (5th grade): Poster - SIDo

Song Contest for 4th and 6th graders

Hi everybody!

Next week, after your tests on 2nd intervals we are going to have the Garage Band competition.

Please, make sure you have sent me your song in mp3 format and also check the duration: needs to be more than 1 minute and 15 seconds.

Try to be creative and use a lot of different instruments in your song in order to be interesting and inspired.

The winner takes a free drink every day for a whole week!

Looking forward to listening to your songs!

Music Feelings on my mask: A project for 3rd - 6th graders

On May we are going to start working on our project: feelings on my mask.

You are going to have a lesson on how you can imprint your feeling on a white paper mask and then you will listen to two different music songs: one classical and one modern.

While you are listening to this music you have to create a feeling on your mask.

The project will be separated in 3 lessons: 1 art, 1 pencils/drawing, 1 colouring/painting.

The masks will be displayed during our Art Show.

Next year, when you grow older you are going to have the same project with the same music.

You will be surprised to find out that your feeling are different even listening to the same music!

Presentations for the 5th and 6th Graders.

Hi everybody!

There's been an amendment for the presentations: You need to make posters cause they will be displayed during the Art Show and Music Day.

5th graders: Please do your research at home, gather all the information you will need  during the next week. You will start working with Mr. Harris from April 28th, so that means we will postpone your due dates until you are ready.

Have fun!

Presentations for the 5th and 6th Graders.

Hi everybody!

Next week we begin our presentations for our favorite band or singer.

You send it me in Google documents so we can project it whle you are talking.

Your presentation has to have the following parts:

• Background information:  Origin of the group/singer, Genres of the music ( explain each style in few words - give examples), Years active
• Members - for band ( introduce them to us with a brief bio - if there are any past members please mentioned them too) 
• A brief bio - if you ahve chosen singer
• History of the group/singer (formation - success)
• Funny stories, special events, movies made for them or with them ( if any)
• Discography
• 2 Utube Videos ( one of their early years, one recent)
• Official site link

Please, print your presentation on a paper  using colour photos, logos or anything else you believe it will give your presentation colour and will make it more interesting:
We will display all of them during our Music Day.

Mr. Harris offered to help you during your computer class, so please don't hesitate to ask him anything it may troubles you.

List of Names / Dates:

Monday, April 25th

Orfeas

Tusmitha

Alvan

Jenny Yang

Eva

Philip

Monday, May 2nd

Sydney

Daniel

Sharon

Nicolas

Angel H.

Jenny W.

Friday, May 6th

Kennix

Mizuna

Timothy

Tina

Angel S

Michelle

All of the presentation will be graded.. :)

Looking forward to next week!

Music Test on 2nd intervals for 3rd,4th,5th and 6th graders!

Hi everybody!
These are the dates you are going to have your test:

3rd Grade:     Wednesday, April 20th.

4th Grade:     Thursday, April 21st.

5th Grade:      Friday, April 22nd.

6th Grade:     Thursday, April 21st.

Please study the notes I've given to you and the posts in our blog.

The test will have 3 parts:
1st part - Identify the intervals  5X2   Score:   /10
2nd part - Identify and transform the intervals (size, quality, type)    5X4  Score:   /20
3rd part - General questions   5X2  Score:   /10

Total Score:     / 40


Good luck everybody!

:)  

Our new music pet!

You asked for it!
You voted for it!

....and now your dream comes true!.....

On the beginning of May we are going to have a new pet in our music classroom!

A real hedgehog!

Start thinking of potential names!

3rd - 6th grade Music Theory

Hi everyone!

As the time goes by, we are getting deeper and deeper into the Music Theory World.

The top subject for this period is: "INTERVALS"

As you know already, we can have different sizes of intervals, different qualities and of course, different types of intervals too.

To be more specific:
Sizes : we start from Unison, 2nd, 3rd, 4th ...and we go up to an octave.
Qualities:  we have minor (m), Major (M), Perfect (P), Augmented (A), Diminished (D). Please check your notes for more information about that.
Types: Melodic (horizontal form), Harmonic (vertical form).


You will have homework on the 2nd intervals. You need to identify the interval and then transform it using accidentals to the other qualities and types.
Remember:
2nd intervals can be:
minor - 1 semitone
Major - 1 tone (2 semitones)
Augmented - 1 tone and 1 semitone (3 semitones)

Music Theory for 1st and 2nd graders

Hi everyone!

This period we are practising on changing clefs: from bass to treble and vice verse.

You need to use all of your knowledge in music theory: notes' names, duration and pitch in order to rewrite scores from one key to another.

Here is a simple chart of all the notes, it may be useful for you to do your homework:

Wiinner's party!

Another photo slideshow by Smilebox

Our music treasure hunt! Thank you everyone! Can't wait to do it again next year!

Another free picture slideshow by Smilebox

Orchestra Club and Rock Band Club

Hi everyone!

On Tuesday, March 29th, we're gonna practise with the Orchestra for 2 hours: 15:00 - 17:00.
The last hour we will join the High School Orchestra to rehearse all together: during that time, the Mimic Spiders, our rock band, will play "Secrets". This wiil be our first time to join all together the electric band.

Don't forget to inform your parents!!!

Have a nice weekend!