31 January 2013

Well, today was another b-day. Good morning started off with beginning music theory and it was awesome. I show to class add a YouTube video of 3 men performing body rhythms. It was very complex and very entertaining to watch. The students were very excited to try to make their own body rub them together. Beach group was get with given 3 whiteboards to ride to measure rhythm. Youth group had to have at least 3 rhythms performed simultaneously. Some of them not very creative stopping their feet clapping her hands having a fingers pounding on tables about others where more conservative and only left their laps. For the kids this was a fun application of things that we've been learning in class this point. After that message Crockett introduced the circle of fifth to the whole class. My group, the last dance group, didn't get much out of the half an hour lesson. I wish that we would have divided into groups and I could have focus more on some basics with that group. Overall I think it was a great class and I think that this didn't had a good time. They walked away with application to the things I've been learning.

Today concert choir was more of a break than anything. I still Kentucky music the whole class but the focus was definitely on choreography. The choreographers very creative and she's done some great work with this group. I'm excited to see them perform the entire new these medically together.

Mixed choir was kind of a bummer. This group does really good when we are all things together combined girls and boys. But, for this concert there are numbers that just voicing and just a girl thing. Therefore, we needed to practice in separate rooms. The boys are quite a handful today there were several that I know we're just trying to test my patience. I think I can Michael for the most part but with 1 of them I got a little ticked off at me can do it. I think it on the field the fire. We came back together and ran a few songs that we all sing together, the class went really quickly today.

30 January 2013

Today turned out to be a pretty good day, I'm glad that things are finally starting to click.

They started with singers rehearsal and it went really well. I was able to work on them work on noon song it with them and also help with several other song. They're very talented group and I feel like she had a really good talk with him today to help me see the power the teacher has a classroom. We need to help students really understand what music song about. It's not just words in notes spiders meaning feeling the need to go into the music in order to be performed correctly mechanics music. Today I walk away from that class seeing that can have a lot of fun in class focus and still obtain goal that they have set.

During the Bacci we were able to review many of the song they have learned already. We work a lot on she's in love for the concert next week. I was able to work with them on when I seen, the Jazz P that she's asked me to teach them. The last class. We had together we tried to sing to the whole thing to get it in the girl years and it was a great sale your. They weren't able to do it and didn't fill a compliment. Must have them walk away not liking something very much. Today we work the last page for at least 10 minutes and made sure that style and words and rhythms where are correct and then we started moving backwards a little bit. This gave the girls much more confident in what they were thinking they got into the style quite a bit and really stepped inside the peace. Near the very end of class I begin to talk to them about a little gas history and where the route to the music coming from. There are several girls that were being very disruptive in very disrespectful and I decided to not share what I was going to with them. Many of the girls got angry and upset because they were excited to learn. I'm glad there are some girls to are so intense and the focus hope that the others well catch their excitement for the day.

29 January 2013

Today was a really good day. I think I enjoyed myself more today than I do on my day.

The day started off with our beginning music theory class. We did the normal listening activity at the beginning of the. But this time I invited students to field and have to beat and also try to identify the meter. It was pretty basic and most of them did very well. We then did Milotic in Richmond dictation and learned intervals from a second to a bit. I was very surprised with some of the beginning kids and how quickly they were able to what they were learning. When we split into groups I taught my group how to play the first 5 notes of a major scale with both hands on the piano you can correct fingers found them pick it up pretty quickly what other struggles. In the end I was happy with the progress to everyone made.

During concert choir today it got a little crazy because we're working on choreography again. They really need to learn from to the planet not haha everytime we stop I feel like it's getting a little better and then those who respects to another important on courage in other kids do the same. I found that the same method or just send me something about it I already work the best for this trip. I'm not sure what to do in the future but will try using different procedures message to accomplish our goals of helping them.

At lunch time we had a rehearsal with all the man in the choir. This was my first time hearing all the men things together and it was awesome my first time hearing nothing like a dame being son from beginning to end. This rehearsal brought some home seen this song I was pretty worried about it before but I do believe they will be able to succeed in seeing the song.

During the last hour and mixed chorus I was thrilled with how much we were able to accomplish and learn. We started off with the song that we will be singing in combine group seize the day, parking creation. And they did a pretty good job. Most of them haven't been very exposed to the song so there someone new for them. Again I was happy with their eyes focus on their willingness to learn music. We then broken to section of the women stayed with me Crockett by the men with me we worked on individual parts of spark creation and nothing like a dame. The boys were out is normal but we were able to accomplish them. When we went back together re same parking creation together again and it sounded much better. After which I was able to work on go down Moses with them. They seem more excited about this on another song and their focus was great. For the end of class begin to get a little antsy so we sing the whole thing well, from the beginning so where we stop learning. I was really happy with her success and I let them go 1 minute early.

28 Jan 2013

Today went pretty well. The day started off with singers. During singer I was able to help a lot with are German song on it. I feel like this to dance understand and know what we want to achieve with this song but we're still getting started. They are doing really well with the first and second ending on the first page. We started working the second page and today and they are doing much better. We worked on rejoy for about 10 minutes and were able to work in sectionals on the last page. I feel like they understand apartment better but the man need to work on rid a little more. When singing quiet hours we need to increase the tempo. These singers have amazing voices and win their focus Awesometown. We need to use the focus to make the whole song beautiful.

During the second. With the G we able to we were able to accomplish a lot as well. We started she's in love and they were really excited to perform with the choreography tailor last week. They got a little rowdy before the end but all in all I felt good that they were so excited to be scene song want me to work a little bit on parts toward the end in the part they haven't learned the choreography to a struggle a little bit. Identifying soloist is really important and making sure the rest of the girls know their background parts weather San Luis Potosi. They love to jump in and sing a solo parts but I think they're forgetting that they will be singing underneath the cellar with a different part. After she's in love we worked on seize the day. I was actually really surprised with the number of girls who had the speech memorized. It's not very long or difficult but I wasn't expecting him to the cheapest much they did. We worked on dynamic and also a little balance. Moving forward we need to clean clean up our diction. After scene fetus the day we worked on Regina Chelsea which flocked. I'm not sure if it was my my fault for the lack of focus on the girls part but we cannot accomplish what we wanted to get done we ended up only thing apart the big not the tailor in last week and plans are to seeing that until it solid before we start adding to park. We've been reviewed Universal song which was pretty good they're being really good on tone clusters and I think the warm up that I've been doing that create own clusters of help New Year's train to singing notes that rub against 1 another. We will continue to work universal song for the back to the front. We also worked on a jazz piece and again didn't go as well as planned I think what I want to do it again work the back to pages to memorize a cappella before we do them with a compliment to 10 South on that and then add 1 page at a time going from that back to front I'm doing a lot of changing. We've been split up into 2 groups for solo and ensemble the group that I worked with doing really well um then prove a lot on how well they keep their Beach they're dynamics a struggling a little bit they seem to think Forte most of the song that I will be in the coming week.

My overall feeling today leaving class are a little frustration of not being prepared well enough, and I know that's only my fault. Also how I wish I had more time to practice the piano right now because it is my weakness and I can definitely feel that weakness when I find a group. I felt that most of the sun's coming together pretty well that the concert coming up in a week and a half should be a success women need to work on she's in love locate about that though. Overall I'm doing okay about how things are going but I know my weaknesses I know what to work on till tomorrow bye.

25 Jan 2013

Today was a pretty good day we started first. With beginning music theory. The kids are doing pretty well actually really well with both with mic and melodic dictation. There are a few people in my group, which is the blessed event group, that seem to struggle with the very basics. I have 1 girl who is special needs student and I'm trying to meet her needs what's the focusing on the rest of the class. We were able to learn rhythmic dictation for 8 beats or 2 measures. I was very surprised with how accurate they were. We did melodic dictation with them for 1 measure and almost all students were correcting her answers.

Concert Choir started off pretty well. That group is very rowdy and if I'm not on their back the whole class then all they want to do is talk. Sometimes I find that very frustrating. It's hard not to want to give them pep talk but everytime I have it hasn't amounted much. I'm trying to demand excellence and I'm holding them to the highest potential I can. Most of today was focused on choreography for the Newsies medally. So I wasn't in front of them too much today.

During mixed choir I felt like we were able to achieve much more than we do on normal days. The girls are doing much better with the song she's in love and the boys are doing incredibly well with nothing like a dame. They also work on choreography for those 2 songs which took a lot of time. I was able to work with the girls on go down Moses and was pleasantly surprised surprised how well they when the parts we worked on. I feel like 93 minutes is really long and for me the struggle is making sure I have something planned for every minute I get them any down time then the day is kind of ruined. So for next week my goal is to make sure that I have more than enough activities planned so that I can keep students busy engaged.

22 January 2013

Singers

Activities: Note learning for "Nun Fanget an" They are going a great job!  Then worked on "God is Calling"  They are pretty much memorized and doing well, time to start polishing.  We then sand through "Rejoice" which is also getting a lot better.  Guys are struggling with 4-part section. Choreography for "Spamalot" 

What went well? Really good focus today, I say because of better planning on my part.
What could be improved? Vowels and strong weak on "God is Calling"
Musical Goals: Listening in Rejoice and making is a coup effort, too much individual thinking right now...
Student Engagement: Good, Need to keep flirty boys and girls away from one another.

Vivaci

Activities: We spent most of the day working on choreography for She's in Love.  The choreographer did a great job and the girls were pretty engaged in the learning process.  
Observations: The girls respond really well to positive encouragement and like complements.  There are a few girl that I just don't think want to be here.  It's been really hard trying to motivate them and want them to want to give their all.  One day at a time...
What went well? During our warm-ups the girls sand Benji in 7 part rounds.  They were awesome at tuning these uncommon minor and dissonant chords. They like it, it's fun and it's really good practice for getting their ears out of the "Major" norm!
What could be improved? Focus is still a problem but it is getting better.  I think that I need to be able to go from one thing to another without any down time.  When I give them 2 seconds they are lost...
Musical Goals: Memorize she's in love, and get our of the music for Newsies.  
Student Engagement: Overall, pretty good, just got to help them stay focused when we stop.

11 January 2013

Today was an in-service with out the students.  I was informed today that I would be taking over the new mixed choir which consists of the men's and women's chorus' from last semester.  I was anticipating working with this group and I am excited.  This is now the only non-auditioned group, and there are a few singers that really struggle...

Today I made a seating chart for the class and picked out 3 pieces that we plan to sing a festival.  What I wasn't expecting was being given the beginning music theory class.  I think that it will be great except that there isn't a curriculum...

We were able to look through the school's music library and I a pretty impressed.  I think when I have a library that I will catalogue my piece by numbering them not trying to alphabetize them.  I am excited to teach and I really like working with Leanna.  I feel like I can do things the way I want and she supports me in that.

9 January 2013

Women's Chorus


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Observations:

What went well?

What could be improved?

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Concert Choir


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What could be improved?

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Student Engagement:



Men's Chorus


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Observations:

What went well?

What could be improved?

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Student Engagement:

8 January 2013

Singers


Activities:

Observations:

What went well?

What could be improved?

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Vivaci


Activities:

Observations:

What went well?

What could be improved?

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Student Engagement:

7 January 2013

Women's Chorus

Activities: I was able to listen to the girls for most of the day as they practiced their rep. I was pretty impressed with a group of girls that are non-auditioned to be able to sound as good as they do.

Observations: Their class is pretty focused, but at times there is much to much chatter... Mrs. Crockett does a good job of trying to keep them focused but I think that I might demand just a little more out of these girls as far as discipline.

What went well? They have a great sound and blend pretty well.  I think that when they are focused they do a great job.

What could be improved? Concentration and dedication to the music.

Musical Goals:  help girls polish when they feel comfortable.  many of them seem to be on auto pilot and I can tell that they are not really thinking about what they are doing, especially not thinking about what they are singing.

Student Engagement: It is pretty varied... There are some that are very engaged while others struggle.  I can tell that some of them are there because they don't want to be anywhere else and it seems like they know they can get away with things...


Concert Choir

Activities: Announcements (went a little long),  then practice of rep.  there were no sectionals or group work in this class today.

Observations: if you give them an inch they will take 3 miles. I know that I will need to be on the ball with this group so I can keep their attention and interest.  They lose focus very easily.

What went well? great sound, beautiful voices.

What could be improved? focus and purpose.

Musical Goals: challenge this group! They are great and will do well if pushed.

Student Engagement: all over the place.  There were some student having full conversations during the middle of the songs.  I'm not sure if they were seen or not but it seems like they know that they can get away with it pretty easily.


Men's Chorus

Activities: I mostly observed but was able to do a sectional with the tenors.  They are so crazy... There is one in particular that seems to be the ring leader.  this is going to be a touch group!

Observations: Most of them don't care about being there.  There are a few with great voices but lack focus and commitment means that it takes a lot of work for them to use those voices.

What went well? I can't really remember...

What could be improved? a lot...

Musical Goals: intonation for individuals.

Student Engagement: needs to change, a lot....