Tag Archives: music

Welcome March! It’s almost spring!

We have been lucky to have had a mild winter, but I am still looking forward to spring.  This year Spring begins March 20th, the signs of spring are already beginning.  Take your host kids on a nature hunt for the signs of spring in your garden!

March

MARCH IS:

Happy Birthday Beethoven!

One of the greatest composers, Beethoven was born in Germany in 1770. Read the story about how his Symphony of Friendship is played in Japan every year at Christmas: http://www.mandala.co.jp/B9/P00E.html.

Enjoy music with the children

  • Start by listening – to children’s music, classical music, and even just the ticking of a clock, the rain falling, or the wind in the trees.
  • Make rhythms: clap hands, stamp feet, hop and jump.
  • Dance to the rhythms of music on the radio.
  • Make your own instruments: an empty milk jug is a good drum; two sticks or two lids create wonderful rhythms.
  • Sing! Don’t be afraid to make up your own songs. Record them to play for the host parents.

It’s Classical Music Month

Classical Music Month

Children of any age will find classical music soothing. Try playing music at mealtimes, before nap, when children are playing quietly or drawing or even in the car. There is some classical music designed specifically for children like Peter and the Wolf by Sergei Prokofiev. Listen to the music and read the story of Peter and the Wolf with illustrations. It is a wonderful introduction to symphony orchestra instruments.

It’s Mozart’s birthday!

How many songs do you know, that Mozart wrote?

mazart

Did you know that Mozart wrote the popular kids’ song “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star?” The same tune is also used for “The Alphabet Song” and “Baa, Baa, Black Sheep.” Amaze your host parents by teaching the children about Mozart and singing the song at dinner.  Listen to some classical music today and find out that it can be calming and delightful at nap time and mealtime or can inspire the children when they are drawing  on paper with crayons or markers.

It’s international drum month!

Here are instructions (from www.pbskids.org/zoom) for a drum experiment for school age children. Remind them that drums can be played softly too!

  • First get a container that you think will make a good drum, like a metal bowl or an oatmeal container. Sylvia says that larger containers make better sounds.
  • Put double-sided tape all the way around the container 2 inches from the top.
  • Cut 2 pieces of shrink-wrap big enough to cover the tape on the container. Then, push it onto the tape.
  • Tape the edges of the shrink-wrap with masking tape so it’s really secure.
  • Now blow-dry the shrink-wrap with a blow dryer set on hot. This shrinks the plastic and makes a very tight drum.
  • Be sure you don’t put the end of the blow dryer too close to the plastic, or it will melt.
  • Once it’s really tight, bang your drum.

Now it’s time to experiment. Try to change the sound your drum makes. Can you make a drum with a really deep sound? Test it out with different containers.

Younger children might like to use a coffee can or oatmeal box as a drum and bang on it along with some lively music.

Preparing for winter fun?

Winter Wonderland Festival @ Thornburg Middle School, November 03, 2012, from 10 am to 2 pm.

Come join the Music department, FBLA, NJHS, and SCA to celebrate Winter.

Everyone invited—bring the whole family!!!

Activities Include: · Secret Santa Shop · Stuffed animal walk · Create snowflakes · Create stuffed animals · Cookie decorating · Pictures with Santa · Snowball Toss · Holiday music · Scholastic Book Fair · Pizza, soda, water, donuts, coffee, & treats for sale! · Crafts and vendors!

Free Saturday night concerts!

Fredericksburg Area Museum and Cultural Center

Announces American Music!

Concert Series

The Fredericksburg Area Museum and Cultural Center is pleased to announce that it will host the secondAmerican Music! concert series.  These concerts will take place on various Saturdays from May through September and are held from 7-9 pm.  All concerts are free and open to the public and are held in Market Square located on the corner of Princess Anne and William streets.  The series will showcase a variety of American music genres including jazz, country, Americana, and classical music.  These concerts will draw visitors and locals alike in the celebration of our nation’s music.

The series begins on May 26 featuring legendary Fredericksburg resident and blues musician, Gaye Adegbalola with Roddy Barnes.  On June 16, come enjoy the University of Mary Washington Brass Quintet.

Come out with your dancing shoes for theFredericksburg Big Band on June 30, with tunes from the 1940s and 1950s.

Join us in celebrating our Independence Day, and listen to patriotic music, with the University of Mary Washington Philharmonic Orchestra on July 3.  This is the most popular concert of the series and you won’t want to miss it.

The series continues with some country and Americana music by The Green Boys on July 14.

Then, on July 28, the Mid-Atlantic Wind Symphony will delight music aficionados and families alike with classical band music from such composers as John Philip Sousa.

Following, on August 25, will be the University of Mary Washington Faculty Jazz Combo.

The series will conclude onSeptember 1 with local bluegrass band, The Believers.

For more information on this event, or for additional programming information, please either contact the Museum at 540-371-3037, or visit us at www.famcc.org.

From http://blogs.fredericksburg.com/pastisprologue/2012/05/17/fredericksburg-museum-to-host-american-music-concert-series/