Music Field Trips

Our young musicians were fortunate enough to experience some field trips in the last week. Please check out the music blogs for more details! Our links are on the sidebar to your right.

Mrs. Melkonian

Music and Martin Luther King, Jr.

As we get ready to celebrate the birth of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Mrs. Melkonian's music classes have been preparing songs in his honor. Our students already know so much about the life and impact of Dr. King, but can now make connections to some important music of his time. Whether we are singing the simple words of Martin and his focus on love, caring and peace or the grown-up hymn "Lift Every Voice", our students are tying music to the Civil Rights Movement. Can you sing this song at home?

Woke up This Mornin'

Woke up this mornin' with my mind

Stayed on freedom

Woke up this mornin' with my heart

Stayed on freedom

Woke up this mornin' with my soul

Stayed on freedom

Hallelu, hallelu, hallelu, hallelu, hallelu-jah!

I'm gonna walk, talk, sing, shout

Hallelu, I got my mind on freedom!

Walk, talk, sing, shout

Clap my hands and keep my mind on freedom!

Walk, Talk! Sing, Shout!

Clap my hands!

Mrs. Melkonian

Congratulations!

Congratulations on a set of WONDERFUL exhibitions yesterday! It was truly enjoyable to see what the students have learned this trimester. Through their art work, physical demonstrations, acting and music-making we can see that we have a school of extremely expressive and talented students. I am looking forward to our next exhibitions already.

With Thanksgiving coming up tomorrow, I am giving thanks for our fantastic students and wonderful group of dedicated AMPP teachers. I am blessed to work with all of you.

Mrs. Melkonian, music

First Six Weeks!

Hello from the UPA Mark Murray Music Room! Students were eager to get started in music this year and so was I! They have already shown improvement that could only be made through hard work and concentration.

The fourth and fifth graders are in the midst of an African Drumming unit. They have been working hard on their drumming technique, specifically hand position. As we continue, we will begin adding singing and dancing to our drumming ensemble pieces.

Third graders are continuing to develop their singing voices by singing songs in English, Swahili, and even Yiddish! We will also work on Orff instrument (xylophone) technique as we add challenging accompaniment to the songs we have learned.

Second graders are doing a unit entitled "Carnival of the Animals". This unit is centered around a musical suite consisting of 14 movements, all based on a different animal. It is called "Carnival of the Animals" and was composed in 1886 by a French composer named Camille Saint-Saëns. Each class period, students listen to the piece, move as the animal does, and sing a song about each animal. So far we have done the Lion, the Tortoise, the Bird, and the Rooster.

First graders are continuing to work on keeping a steady beat. They are also learning new songs that will help them move forward in their music making, both singing and playing instruments. But we will always love one of our favorites from last year; "Skinny marinky dinky doo". If you need a pick-me-up in your day, just ask your first grader for a round of this song and you will feel better in no time!

I was so excited to welcome the Kindergartners into the music room this year! They are cheerful students who do their best and who are excited to try new activities. We have been learning about the different voices we use. These include speaking, whisper, shouting, and singing voice.

We are hard at work here in the music room, and are looking forward to a year of harmonious music making! Check back soon for upcoming concert information!

Music Blogs

Ms. Ginger and Mrs. Melkonian's music classes are starting out strong this year! We are happy to introduce our own blogs, just for music updates. Please visit us to hear what we are listening to in class, see pictures and hear students performing. We hope you will visit us often!

Mark Murray Campus

http://upaelementarymusicmm.blogspot.com/

Ellen Thompson Campus

http://upaelementarymusicet.blogspot.com/