Music: The Universal Language

Sierra's grade put on their choir concert this week. The theme was: Music: The Universal Language and the kids and Ms. Barbara pulled off an amazing performance!! They sang a variety of songs, including: Bob Marley's 3 Little Birds.
The choir teacher, Ms. Barbara, did a great job of teaching the kids motion and movement to accompany each piece. At different times in the show groups of children would come forward to recite dialogue explaining the history of music in all genres.
And if I only had a dollar for every time I have heard "Ode to Joy" played on the recorder the past 6 months, I'd be rich! The entire 3rd grade played "Ode to Joy" by Beethoven on the recorder--all 60 some 3rd graders in unison! That couldn't have been a simple task for Ms. Barbara.
Here is part of the group, Sierra basically in the middle of this picture, with their recorders.







Here is Sierra and some of her classmates during one of their "talking" parts. The kids asked questions about types of music and helped introduce the song coming up. They did a great job memorizing lines, speaking clearly, and smiling!!





I had a class the morning of the performance, and with the end of the year quickly approaching it is tough to get sub coverage for busy days. Instead of missing the concert, I brought my 12 8th graders into the auditorium to watch. It ended up being a great way to enjoy the show as my students remembered singing some of the same songs when they were in Lower School, and of course they are smitten by how "cute" the "little" third graders are. Ah, to be as grown and mature as an 8th grader!!!