"Annie" Cast

Thank you and congratulations to all who auditioned for "Annie" this week. Students at Ranch were informed of the results on Wednesday, and all of them received scripts. Students at Simonton found out Thursday, but not everyone was able to receive a script (problem with the copy machine). Students need to remember that they will only receive ONE copy of their script, so they must take care of it and bring it to rehearsal every week. Students should have their name on the script to ensure they are using their own.

ANY student involved in the production who would like a practice copy of the CD is welcome to receive one. Just bring me a CDR and I can make a copy for you.

I am so excited. Students, I hope you have a wonderful and fun break, but please make sure you practice so you are ready to jump in when we come back!

"Annie" Auditions - 4th and 5th grade

Both Simonton and Ranch are going to put on a miniature version of the Broadway musical, "Annie." ALL 4th AND 5th graders are welcome to audition. Any student in my class knows that we have been getting familiar with the music and the dialog in class over the last month or so. Audition information has been made available to anyone interested, however, if by some chance a student has not received the audition information, they are still welcome to audition. Each school will be performing the musical separately so a full cast will be chosen from both schools. Auditions will be held in the music room starting right after school on the dates listed below.

RANCH: Monday, December 13th
SIMONTON: Tuesday, December 14th

At both schools the process will be approximately as follows below. All times are APPROXIMATE, as it depends how many students are auditioning. Certain parts of the process may take longer or shorter amounts of time depending on how many students are participating.

3:05 Students are dismissed from class and report to the music room. Students will need to fill out an audition sheet indicating their preferences for casting.
3:10 Auditions will begin. Students interested in a speaking role ONLY (meaning that they are not interested in singing a solo of any length) will audition first. The will read lines with teachers and/or other students
3:20 Brief review of songs, followed by singing auditions. Students may at times sing all alone, or with other students. Students may sing an entire portion of a song, or not. If the teachers have a student stop in the middle of singing, it's perfectly normal. We may have to "cut off" students in the interest of time. It does not necessarily indicate a poor audition.
4:00 Auditions will be over approximately at this time, but again, we may finish earlier or later depending on how many students are there.

Students MUST have a ride home or live in walking distance. Students will be allowed to use the phone in the office following their audition. Students will be in the music room watching each other during auditions. Disruptive behavior during someone else's audition may be grounds for dismissal.

Concert Report

I could not be more pleased with our concert last night! I give my biggest thanks to everyone involved in supporting our concert: parents and families who got their kids where they needed to be and watched the performance, Mr. Hamm for all his support and assistance at Simonton, our high school helpers, Alyssa and Cienna, for all their help at Ranch, our wonderful accompanist, Mrs. Willoughby, from Simonton, and OF COURSE our wonderful 4th and 5th grade choir students! We had a great turn out and enthusiastic audience participation during our last song. We had in attendance the principal at Ranch, Sue Kruse, and also our district superintendent, Gayle A. Blanchard. Following the choir performance, we had the pleasure of hearing the Ranch band play. What a splendid night!

CHOIR CONCERT!

The time is almost here for our Choir Concert: Tuesday, December 7, 2010 at RANCH elementary. The choir from BOTH Simonton AND Ranch will be singing. Students must be at Ranch at 5:15 PM for rehearsal, in the music room. The performance will begin at 6:00 PM, in the cafe. Choir will sing first, and we will be followed by the Ranch Band.

Note: There will be NO after-school rehearsal at Simonton on Tuesday 12/7.

Driving directions to Ranch from the Castlegate area: Head west on Ocotillo to Kenworth. Turn right on Kenworthy and drive north approximately two miles. Ranch Elementary is on the left side of the street, almost to Germann Road.

What to wear: If possible, students are asked to wear blue jeans and black shirts. If the student does not have such clothes, anything dark or otherwise looks nice, neat, and clean will be acceptable.

First Grade Performance CANCELLED

Unfortunately, I have recently been informed that there will not be enough time on the previously mentioned board meeting to accomodate the first grade performance. I apologize to those who were looking forward to it.

First Grade Performance Opportunity

All first graders at Simonton AND Ranch are invited to perform at the School Board Meeting on Wednesday, December 8th, 2010, at 6:00 PM at Combs Middle School. We will be learning a movement activity in class to the song "Russian Dance (Trepak)" from the Nutcracker Ballet. It is NOT a required event, and students will need to have their own transportation to and from Combs Middle School. Students are free to leave as soon as their part in the performance is over. A flyer with more details will be sent home in the coming weeks.

2nd and 3rd Music Program

I want to give a big thank you to all students, teachers, and their families who were part of and/or supported the patriotic music program at Ranch and Simonton. I felt that just before Veteran's Day would be the perfect time to present songs that tie into the history and culture of our country. Each class worked very hard at learning and practicing their "big job." Thanks to all and Happy Veteran's Day.

SIMONTON - 2nd and 3rd program tomorrow!

Get ready for our fantastic patriotic music program tomorrow night. Students are encouraged to wear red, white, and blue. Please have students at school at 5:45 PM. The performance starts at 6:00. We had a wonderful practice today, so get ready for a magnificent program tomorrow!

RANCH - 2nd and 3rd grade program tomorrow!

We had a practice for tomorrow's concert this afternoon at Ranch and --- WOW! It went so well. I give my biggest thanks to my 2nd and 3rd grade students for their best listening ears and enthusiastic singing. It is truly a beautiful thing to hear children's voices united in song.

Students should arrive tomorrow night at 4:45 PM and go directly to the stage. We will begin the program at 5:00 PM. If you can, please wear your red, white, and blue!

SIMONTON - your turn is next! Our program will be on Tuesday, November 9th.

Simonton Chorus, Take Two

Reminder and last call to Simonton 4th and 5th grade general music students: If you are planning to participate in chorus, you need to report to the music room immediately after school on Tuesday (EVERY Tuesday!). We will rehearse until 3:45 PM, and you need to make sure you have a ride home. Last week we only had three students show. In order to have a functioning chorus, we need AT LEAST 10-12 people to participate regularly. Come on, we can do it! We had an AWESOME after-school chorus last year. Let's do it again! :)

THANK YOU, Ranch PTO

It is with a grateful heart I give a big THANK YOU to the Ranch PTO. They purchased recorders for 4th and 5th grade general music students to use. Students have the option of buying them for $1.00 and they will get to take them home at the end of the year. We couldn't do this without you, PTO, so THANK YOU again!

2nd and 3rd Grade Patriotic Program!

Get ready for our upcoming Patriotic Music Program. It will feature each class doing a "big job," that is, something special that showcases each class. Some classes will be accompanying the singers on instruments and some classes will be presenting a play party (like a combination of a dance and a game). It is going to be a lovely evening and I am sure you will enjoy it! Student participation is required.* There is no particular dress requirement, but students are encouraged to wear red, white and blue! If your student does not have something like that, please ensure they dress in a comfortable but neat manner.

RANCH: Thursday, November 4, 5:00 PM. There is also an open house, book fair, and pie and ice cream social happening after the program!

SIMONTON: Tuesday, November 9th, 6:00 PM.

*If there is a reason your child will be unable to participate, please contact the school or e-mail me. RANCH: 480.882.3530, x1616 SIMONTON: 480.987.5330, x4421 OR ejones@jocombs.k12.az.us

SIMONTON CHORUS

It's time to get Simonton Chorus on board! Chorus will meet every Tuesday after school until 3:45. Any 4th or 5th grader in general music may join. Unfortunately, 5th graders in band or orchestra will not be eligible at this time because of a concert performance conflict. Please see Mrs. Jones for a permission slip. Remember:
* We will start Tuesday, October 26, right after school
* We will end at 3:45
* Students must have transportation home (there is NO LATE BUS!)
* Regular attendance and good behavior are required

Get ready to sing!

4th and 5th Grade

RECORDER TIME! It is that time of year again, when 4th and 5th graders begin on recorder. All 4th graders and Ranch 5th graders will be staring out with letter B, and Simonton 5th graders will be reviewing letters B, A, G and E. Special thanks goes to the Ranch PTO, who are purchasing the recorders for Ranch students.

There are a couple of key points to remember when playing recorder:
* Hold the instrument in the LEFT hand, always!
* Press fingers firmly and completely over the holes. After just a few minutes, you should have "donut holes" on your fingers.
* Play the instrument with slow, soft air, as though you are fogging up a mirror.
* Each note begins with the tongue pressed lightly against the opening of the mouthpiece.

Instrumental Practice, Grades K-5

Over the last several weeks, every grade level has gotten some exposure to various instruments. Here's what we've been doing:

Kindergarten: Maracas ("Baby Llama"). To play the maracas, hold one upright in each hand. Keep wrists still and gently punch the air in front of you. We should never knock the maracas together or pound them on the floor.

1st grade: Hand drums, rhythm sticks, woodblocks, and triangles ("Jungle Beat" and "Instrument Practice"). Each instrument has a distinctive sound.

2nd and 3rd grade: Rhythm sticks and bell kits ("Yankee Doodle," "Fire in the Mountain," and "Chicken on a Fencepost").

• To play rhythm sticks: hold one hand still and gently move the other hand to tap the sticks together. For longer note values, one stick scrapes gently across the other. 3rd graders had a variation where they gently practiced their cross-over technique, as well as sixteenth notes, by gently tapping the sticks on the floor. Rhythm sticks should never be pounded on the floor or used aggressively on oneself or on others.
• To play bell kits, as well as glockenspiels and xylophones, hold mallets firmly in both hands and gently bounce the head of the mallet on the key. We don't want to press the mallet onto the key and hold it there, because the sound will not resonate, or ring out.

4th and 5th grade: Tubano drums, maracas, and xylophones ("Take Time in Life," "Water Come a-Me Eye," and "Cotton Eye Joe").

Ask your student to sing one of the above for you!

4th and 5th Grade General Music

After Fall Break, 4th and 5th grade general music classes will be starting on recorders.

SIMONTON: Students who already have their own recorder are welcome to bring it, or to buy one on their own. Otherwise, the school has a supply of recorders for student use. They belong to the school and will remain at school.

RANCH: Students who already have a recorder are welcome to bring it, or to buy one on their own. Otherwise, I will be collecting recorder money. I will collect $1.00 from each student who needs a recorder and the PTO will purchase them for us. They will remain at school, but will belong to the students once the school year is over.

Please e-mail me with questions and concerns: ejones@jocombs.k12.az.us

Ranch Chorus

We are off and running. Chorus started yesterday with an enthusiastic bunch. If your child still wants to participate, there's still time! Please fill out and sign BOTH a registration form (e-mail, phone numbers, etc.) and a Rules and Expections form. Students can turn them in to their teachers, put them in my teacher mailbox or bring them to me.

Remember, any 4th or 5th grade student who wants to participate in Chorus needs to plan to stay after school every MONDAY and have a ride home promptly at 3:45.

RANCH CHORUS!

The big day is finally here! 4th and 5th grade chorus starts today. Any Ranch student in 4th or 5th grade is welcome to be a part of the Chorus. We will be learning music to be presented in concert in December. Students need to fill out both a Chorus Registration form, and a signed and initialed Rules and Expectations Form. All chorus students who have turned in both forms by the end of the month will receive a treat. We will meet every Monday after school and dismiss at 3:45 PM. Remember, there is NO late bus, so students involved in Chorus will need to have a ride home.

LET THE SINGING BEGIN!

2nd and 3rd Grade

Get ready, second and third graders! We are going to present a patriotic music program in November (date TBA). It is going to showcase some of the traditional patriotic music we've been learning ("America"), some folk songs with play parties ("Fire in the Mountain" and "Chicken on a Fencepost"), and other songs, as well as a salute to our men and women in uniform, past and present. Each class will be featured in some way, either by playing instrumental accompaniment, or by presenting a play party or game. I am also looking for two boy scouts who can fold a flag, so if you would like to volunteer, please contact me!

Fourth and Fifth Grade

We have started using tubano drums! The students really enjoy playing the drums. Here are a few essentials for keeping the drums in good shape:

• Once the drum is set down on the floor, use your chair to adjust how close you are to the drum.
• When moving toward or away from the drum, hands should be in your lap.
• The drum should be treated like a hot stove, with hands bouncing lightly off. We should NEVER lean our hands, arms, elbows, or other body parts onto the drum.

There are two tones on the drums. The high tone is the outer edge of the drum. Students play a high tone by lightly bouncing their fingers on the edge nearest their stomach. The low tone is in the middle of the drum, played by bouncing the bottom of thier hand in the center of the drum.

These drums will be featured in a performance for 4th and 5th grade later in the year. Stay tuned for details!

5th Grade General Music

TIME CAPSULE! Music from the past is like a time capsule, in a way. Five hundred years ago, Michael Praetorius wrote a song with a message: "LONG LIVE MUSIC!" That music survived over the centuries, and more recently, someone felt the message was worth reviving. They recorded it onto a CD, using voices and instruments similar to what would have been available back then. The music tells us about that time period, like voices calling to us from the past.

My 5th grade students are going to create their own class time capsule. Each student is encouraged to bring an item to be buried for the entire school year. We will dig it up again in May and rediscover what is the same, what is different, and what we forgot, from our just-now 5th grade current selves, to our almost-6th grade future-selves. The item must be able to fit into a standard business-sized envelope.

We will also be making collages to bury in our time capsule. In order to make the collages, we need donations of magazines and newspapers for students to cut and use. Magazines and newspapers will not be returned. During the collage-making, students will be allowed to listen to CDs of their choosing. Please see the yellow and white handouts for more details.

5th Grade Specials

This is a reminder to all 5th graders that you MUST turn in your music class preference by FRIDAY! This is YOUR chance to choose, so please list your top three choices and turn it in to your teacher as soon as possible. Those who do not make a choice will be assigned to General Music.

Remember, your choices are:

Band (Clarinet, Flute, Saxophone, Percussion, Trombone, Trumpet)
Orchestra (Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass)
General Music (No instrument rental necessary)

Welcome

Welcome, students and parents! I am thrilled to share with you information about my music classes. I will try to update at least once weekly to bring you the latest about what we are learning in class, dates and times of upcoming performances, and more.