Month: April 2014

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1/2 Grade 3/4 Grade COOL MUSIC STUFF! Kindergarten Middle School Chorus Middle School General Music Why Is Music Education Important?

Studying Music At An Early Age Affects Your Later Life…

Check out this US News article about the effects of studying music and language at an early age AND the importance of physical activity every day. We are lucky at Folsom to have a supportive administration, school board, staff, and community to continue or Music, Art, and Foreign Language programs DURING the school day!

Drumming
Drumming!!

Can’t wait for our Island County Music Festival tomorrow! Wednesday is the band rehearsal day, Thursday is the chorus rehearsal (band members arrive at 2 om for their dress rehearsal) with a combined concert Thursday evening at 5pm! SEE YOU THERE WAHOO!

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1/2 Grade 3/4 Grade COOL MUSIC STUFF! Kindergarten Why Is Music Education Important?

Discovering Music Carnival at UVM!

On Saturday, April 19th the Music Education Majors at UVM hosted a MUSIC CARNIVAL! People of all ages were invited to come take a lesson on any instrument you’d like, hear performances, and enter raffles to win music prizes!
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 14 Folsom students and families came to UVM to learn and play! HOLY COW IT WAS SO MUCH FUN!

Smiles

Lessons were taken by all sorts of family members! Ms. Kauffeld even got to take guitar (channeling Mr. McDermott,) upright bass (channeling Madame Bishop,) and Clarinet (while Katie and Max watched her and laughed at her squeaks.)

I want to thank the following musicians and their families for coming out!
Sam Button
Max Bumbeck
Charlotte Bumbeck
Katie O’Hara
Maddy Noel
Calvin Noel
Jack Tremble
Anika Siegfried
Ethan Heyn
Aurelia Wickenden
Sunny Wickenden
Ava Jensen
Hazel Valin
and Schuyler Valin

Click a Pic to Make it Big!

Categories
COOL MUSIC STUFF! Why Is Music Education Important?

Sowah Mensah: Master Drummer and Teacher from Ghana, West Africa

Sowah Mensah teaches at Macalister University in Minnesota, but Vermont was lucky enough to have him as a resident teacher over the course of 6 years at UVM. Ms. Kauffeld was ESPECIALLY lucky that 2 of those years were while she was a student there!
In this video you will hear Sowah explain that why the past is important and how this affects drumming and music making.

“Take what is good from your past and use it in your future.”

Categories
1/2 Grade 3/4 Grade COOL MUSIC STUFF! Kindergarten Middle School General Music

South Burlington High School Drummers Visit Folsom!

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On April 4th the South Burlington African Drummers directed by Christina Toner (Her first teaching job was at Folsom!) visited Folsom to do a workshop with our first and second grade musicians and then perform for our whole school! It was an amazing afternoon.

Here are some of the big ideas I took away that day:

  • Echo: Drummer echoes the leader exactly (We do this in our music classes A LOT, when we play “copy cat” or learn a new song.)
  • Call and Response: Leader plays a call, and the group plays a response. Our favorite of the day was when the leader asked, “What’s For Dinner” and we played an answer! (Ta-cos, Can-dy, Dir-ty-Socks!)
  • Adenkum: Hollowed gourds with holes used in Ghana as a melodic/percussive instrument. Click here to see a video of Sowah Mensah (from Ghana) teaching Adenkum to students in the Virgin Islands! Ms. Kauffeld got to work with Sowah Mensah at UVM! Want More Mensah? Click Here!
  • We learned that usually there are three drumming sounds: Low, Middle, High and they will play different parts that fit together.

    Click on a picture to make it bigger!

During their last song Mrs. Toner invited soloist from Folsom to come up and IMPROVISE while the South Burlington drummers played in the background!

Thank you to Mr. Corrigan, Ms. Smith, and Principal Perry
for taking great photos and video!
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Categories
1/2 Grade 3/4 Grade COOL MUSIC STUFF! Kindergarten Middle School General Music Why Is Music Education Important?

“Joy In the Congo” a 60 Minutes Segment You MUST Watch!

Hope and joy can be found in the Congo, our world’s poorest country.
An awe-inspiring story for all!

Watch the AWESOME video and read the article by clicking on the link below.

Joy In the Congo

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3/4 Grade Middle School General Music

Instrument Presentations in the 3rd and 4th Grade!

Becca and Lauren show off their Alto Saxophones
Becca and Lauren show off their Alto Saxophones

WOW. This year is FLYING by! That being said, it’s time for our fourth grade musicians to think about starting a band instrument! On Friday we had Middle School Musicians demonstrate their instruments.

Mrs. Little and Ms. Kauffeld were blown away by the presentations given by the middle schoolers, and the questions asked by the 3rd and 4th graders. The enthusiasm and excitement in the music room was high!

Here is a video of the presentations!

We’d like to recognize the 4th grade students that have already begun learning an instrument: Morgan Brownell on Clarinet, Sam Button on Trumpet, and Katie O’Hara on Trumpet. Sadie Lavallee has been learning piano, and Trevor Reagan the guitar. Congratulations to all of you on your musical dedication and drive!

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We can’t wait to see what instruments the rest of the 4th graders will choose!

Speaking of… are you in middle school and WISH you played an instrument? It’s NEVER too late to start! Please talk to Mrs. Little or Ms. Kauffeld ASAP and we’ll get the ball rolling!

Categories
Middle School Chorus Middle School General Music

Middle School Musicians at the District Music Festival!

At the end of March 10 Folsom musicians headed to Swanton to participate in the Northwest District Music Festival Chloe and Brendan performed in the 8th grade band, and Paige, Erin, Anna, Lucas, Emma, Giana, Lucia, and Preston performed in the chorus. Here are pictures and a few videos of our experience!

THE 8TH GRADE BAND!

Tony Pietricola (from Grand Isle and former Folsom teacher) and the 8th grade Band
Tony Pietricola (from Grand Isle and former Folsom teacher) and the 8th grade Band
Chloe and the Flute Section!
Chloe and the Flute Section!
Brendan
Brendan and the Percussion Section!
Concert Time!
Concert Time!

THE CHORUS!

The Crew 1
Lucas, Lucia, Preston, and Emma wait for the dress rehearsal
The Crew 2
HAPPY
Paige Makes a Friend!
Paige Makes a Friend!
Chorus 1
Concert Time!

Dress Rehearsal of “Sway” do you recognize one of those dancers half way through?

What a great festival! Can’t wait ’til next year!

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Middle School Chorus ROOSTER SONGS

ROOSTER SONGS: Paige Edition

See previous post for an explanation of The Rooster Songs!

Paige’s Song!

 

Want to write YOUR OWN Rooster Song?

1. Come visit the painting in the Music Room.
2. Write down your lyrics.
3. Perform for Ms. Kauffel and give her the lyrics to go up on the wall!
4. CLAIM YOUR PRIZE!

Categories
3/4 Grade Middle School Chorus ROOSTER SONGS

ROOSTER SONGS: Katie and Emma Edition

See previous post for an explanation of The Rooster Songs!

Katie and Emma

Want to write YOUR OWN Rooster Song?

1. Come visit the painting in the Music Room.
2. Write down your lyrics.
3. Perform for Ms. Kauffeld and give her the lyrics to go up on the wall!
4. CLAIM YOUR PRIZE!

Categories
Middle School Chorus Middle School General Music ROOSTER SONGS

ROOSTER SONGS: Becca and Lauren W Edition

See previous post for explanation of the ROOSTER SONGS.

Want to write YOUR OWN Rooster Song?

1. Come visit the painting in the Music Room.
2. Write down your lyrics.
3. Perform for Ms. Kauffeld and give her the lyrics to go up on the wall!
4. CLAIM YOUR PRIZE!