Grade 6: Everything we learned this week!

Music Theory:

We practised the circle of fifth and how to create a Major Scale.
Next Tuesday, September 27th, Quiz on Major Scales and Note Degrees.

Music Terminology and Analysis:

Subcategories of musical texture: Range and Density. We watched videos as examples on the human voice range and on the way different instrumentation has effect on our feelings while listening to music.
Homework for next Friday, September 30th : Present to the class a melody first with the original instrumentation and then 2 other options, with different instruments performing it. Analyze how the density is affected  with  each performance.

Grade 5: Everything we learned this week!

Music Theory:

Specific Intervals : Small intervals 2nd. Augmented, Major and Minor. Diatonic and Chromatic semitones. 3rd Intervals : Diminished, Minor, Major and Augmented. If you were absent and you didn't take the notes given, please check with me.
Homework on intervals.

Music History:

Music Lesson by V. L Wooten: "The Groove"
Homework: Create your own definition for  the music term Groove. 

Grade 4: Everything we learned this week!

Music Theory:

We connected our music theory knowledge with music terminology: When we use a slur, we are actually performing the "legato" technique. 
We had the first lesson on Rhythmic Dictation (Dictee).
No homework for next week

Music History:

We had a Quiz on "Medieval Music".

Grade 3: Everything we learned thi week

Music Theory:

We did a review on the Time Signatures. We also reviewed the note names and the basic duration of the notes by watching a special music education video.
Next Tuesday (September 26th we will have a quiz on different time signatures)

Music History:

We talked about the four basic families of musical instruments. We did analytical the string family and watched a lot of video examples on various strings, classical and electric.
No homework for next week.

Grade 2: Everything we learned this week!

Music Theory:

We learned everything about flats and how the make the pitch of the note go a half pitch lower. We had fun trying to step on the correct floor tile and to choose wisely: "Sharp or Flat?".
We have no homework for next week.

Music History:

We were introduced to the family of the winds and we saw a lot of videos for woodwinds, such as flute, clarinet, saxophone etc.
We have no homework for next week.

What we learned this week: Grade 1

Music Theory:

 We learned everything about pitch. We learned how to distinguish a high from a low pitch note and we played a funny game  trying to place ourselves on the correct floor tile.
We don't have a homework.

Music History:

This week was the woodwind week. We watched many videos of flute performances, clarinets , saxophones, bassoons and harmonicas. We practised  on our work sheet trying to match the correct picture with the correct name.

Homework for this week (September 13th - 16th)

Tuesday, September 13th:
No homework for  Grade 2 and Grade 6


Wednesday, September 14th:
Grade 3:  Please make sure you have practised Solfege 4/4, level 2 first page.
Grade 4: No homework

Thursday, September 15th:
Grade 6:  4 links for music textures: Monophonic, Biophonic, Polyphonic and Homophonic,
Make sure your email includes the following for each texture link:
Title of the music piece
Composer
How many voices (if polyphonic)
Type of texture

Friday, September 16th
No homework for Grade 1, Grade 2 and Grade 5.

Monday, September 5th: Grades 1,3,4,5

Grade 1:
We learned how to draw a treble clef and how the notes in the music world need it to unlock their music house, the stave.  We learned to identify the lines and the spaces on a musical stave.
Homework for Monday, September 19th:  Draw a picture of the Music World, including the musical house, (stave) and the the key to open it (Treble clef). Make sure that the stave has 5 lines and 4 spaces.


Grade  3: 
Homework:  Finish the revision notes given in class. Due date: Monday, September 19th.


Grade 4: 
We learned about Ties and Slurs. Please read the notes given and do your homework (back side of the photocopy given).  Due Date:  Monday. September 19th.

Grade 5:
Revision on intervals: Place the correct pitch above the tonic. If you haven't finished the photo copy given, in class please finish it by September 19th.

Homework for next week (September 5 - 9)

Grade 1:
No Homework.

Grade 2:
For Monday, September 5th
Time Signature Concept: 2/4  (Terminology note book:  Understand, learn and remember the new words)
Homework: Practise Level 1 in the Rhythm Copy


Grade 3:
No Homework

Grade 4:
No Homework

Grade 5:
No Homework

Grade 6:
1st Lesson in Music Analysis:
For Thursday, September 8th
Homework:
Fill in the blanks in the sheet given (Internet search)
Listen to the audio music in the CD given and analyse in basic musical phrases the first page of the Sonatina op.151.n1 by Anton Diabelli. Try to find the Opening Section (Static Harmony) and the Closing Section (Dynamic Harmony and Cadence) Use different colours for each of the above parts.

Please contact me at: fay.his@gmail.com for any further info about your homeworks

Have a nice weekend!
Ms. Faye
      

Weekly Schedule for every Grade

Please be prepared each week for attending one or more of the below subjects:


Grade 1:


Monday: Music Theory, Ear Training, Solfege, Dictee, Terminology, Singing/Composing

Friday:   Classical and Modern History of Music, Music Analysis


Grade 2:


Tuesday:  Music Theory, Ear Training, Solfege, Dictee, Terminology, Singing/Composing

Friday: Classical and Modern History of Music, Music Analysis




Grade 3:


Monday: Music Theory, Ear Training, Solfege, Dictee, Terminology, Singing/Composing


Wednesday: Classical and Modern History of Music, Music Analysis, Music Presentations


Grade 4:

Monday:  Music Theory, Ear Training, Solfege, Dictee, Terminology, Singing/Composing, Garage Band

Wednesday: Classical and Modern History of Music, Music Analysis, Music Presentations

Grade 5:

Monday: Music Theory, Ear Training, Solfege, Dictee, Terminology, Singing/Composing, Garage Band

Friday:  

Classical and Modern History of Music, Music Analysis, Music Presentations

Grade 6:

Tuesday: Music Theory, Ear Training, Solfege, Dictee, Terminology, Singing/Composing, Garage Band

Thursday:  

Classical and Modern History of Music, Music Analysis, Music Presentations 

Welcome!

August 30, 2011

Dear Parents,

Welcome back to a new and exciting school year at HIS !

My name is Faye Rigopoulou and I’m honored to teach Music to our Elementary students for the second year. 

We will have two music lessons per week, 50 minutes each and we will focus on the below music subjects:

Artisic Perception of Music

Music Theory (Grades 1 -6 )

Ear Training (Grades 1 - 6)          

Solfege (Grades 1 - 2 ) 

Melodic and Rhythmic Dictation (Grades 1 - 6)

Historical and Cultural Context of Music

 Classical and Modern History of Music (Grades 1 - 6) 

Creative Expression of Music

Music Terminology (Grades 1 - 6)

Learning how to sing a varied repertoire of music    (Grades 1 - 6)

Advanced Solfege (Grades 3 - 6 )

Compose, arrange, improvise  (Grades 1 - 6)

Garage Band Software: Basic Composing (Grades 4 - 6)

Aesthetic Value of Music

Music Analysis (Grades 1 - 6)

Music Presentations (Grades 3 - 6)

Please find below the supply list for the Music Class:

 4 - Subject Notebook for keeping notes 

 Music Stave Notebook ( please note that the staves  should not be very small - 3 or 4 per  page).

 Music Binder with clear plastic sleeves 

 Pencil and Pen

 Eraser, Sharpener

 Markers (thin or thick) (Grades 3,4,5) / colored pencils (Grades 1,2)

You will be continuously updated of our music progress , homework and special events through the music class’ blog : http://his-musicclass.blogspot.com/   

You can always contact me at: fay.his@gmail.com

Before I close this letter, I would like to remind to those parents whose kids are participating to the HIS Orchestra, that this year we have new musical surprises and performances and an exciting repertoire! Orchestra starts rehearsing on Tuesday, September 13th and will have rehearsals twice a week: every Tuesday and Thursday, 15:15 - 16:15.

All the members of Orchestra have to attend both days, unless there is a special reason not to.

For all the other students that they didn’t have the chance to participate in the HIS Orchestra, auditions for new members will be held on September 1 - 9, 2011. 

Every student that knows how to play a Symphonic instrument (Brass, Woodwinds, Strings, Percussion) is welcome to try!

Looking forward to a fabulous music year!

Sincerely yours,

Faye Rigopoulou

All my sunny wishes for a wonderful summer!

Let's start our summer vacations with a smile! Mr. Bean goes to the simming pool!

 Winners of the music poster competition:    "Everything I know about music" :

Grade 1:  Posters were graded by Ms. Wood and me in the below subjects:

Music Math, Latin Letters, Sharps and Flats, Note Values, Rests, Neatness and Presentation

The winners (highest score out of 10) are:
    
Ayane ( 9/10)


Mami  ( 9/10)

Grade 2:  Posters were graded by Mr. Anderson and me in the below subjects:

Music Math, Latin Letters, Sharps, Flats and Naturals, Note Values, Rests, Neatness and Presentation

The winners (highest score out of 10) are:    
 
Emily (10/10)

                                                                         
Jacob (10/10)
                                                                        
 Ashley (10/10)

Grade 3:  Posters were graded by Ms. Crous and me in the below subjects:

Music Math, Latin Letters, Sharps, Flats and Naturals, Note Values, Rests, Major Scale Type, Intervals, Neatness and Presentation

The winners (highest score out of 10) are:
       
Yehna (10/10)


Teressa (10/10)


Sharon (10/10)

                                                                          
Jonathan (10/10)

Congratulations to Leo too! ( 9.7/10) 

All the winners won a slurpee during recess time on Tuesday, June 21st.

MUSIC DAY

I would like to say a big "THANK YOU" to all of you, students and parents for participating with such a  positive energy to our HIS Music Day.

It wouldn't have been so good and so fun without all of you !

Next year it will be even bigger and more interesting - and a big surprise is waiting :)

Here are some links on you tube with some of the parts of our music event:


IU: Good Day

Grade 1: I just can't wait to be king

Grade 1 and 2 : Heal the world

Grade 3 : Hakuna Matata

Grade 3: Supercalifragilisticexpialidocius

Grade 4: Boulevard of Broken Dreams

Suo Gan by Recorder Club

Pink Panther's theme - HIS Orchestra

Star Wars Theme - HIS Orchestra

Secrets by Mimic Spiders and HIS Orchestra featuring: Jonathan Wu

Masks: Our progress

First lesson with the masks of feelings and everybody were thrilled to learn and know some interesting things about masks.

Mr. Jim, showed us masks and explained different techniques from:

Ancient Greece: Tragedy and Comedy masks, where feelings were solid and absolute

African masks: How masks worked for spiritual purposes

The first mask ever found (neolithic age):

Chinese masks : the purpose of intense colour

                                                  

Japanese (Kabuki) masks:

Then we saw how masks are working in comics and bands:

The Residents: A band that its members have never showed to the public their faces...

Comic (and movie) hero: Vendetta

Phantom of the Opera

Then we learned how to draw feelings on a mask and we learned everything about a colour wheel:

and these are the first samples of our masks: