Program Updates: Art and Music – February 2025
VISUAL ARTS (Sarah)
We're wrapping up some projects, and then it’s clay time! We have 650 pounds ready to go. Meanwhile…
Grade 6: Textile Art
Students painted cotton panels with fabric dyes and then added a Gyotaku print. Gyotaku is the Japanese art of fish printing. These were sewn into pillows, stuffed, then hand-stitched closed.
Grade 7: Copper Foil Designs
Students composed a design, transferred it onto copper, then learned how to form “mountains and valleys” (or chasing and repousse). We’ll be dipping these into a warm bath containing Liver of Sulfur (yes, it stinks) and lastly, burnishing highlights. Students prepared cedar wood panels, smoothing them with sandpaper, with the option of staining them. Small nails will be used to attach the copper onto the wood.
Grade 8: Visual/Language Arts Collab
Identity poems were written in language arts classes. Across the hall in art, images were sketched and paintings created to illustrate the subjects and themes found in the writings. The poems were mixed up so students worked with another student’s written work.
As usual, some students were busy completing independent projects - such as these custom-designed appliqué wings by Kenny. Perfect for the flight to Rome!
MUSIC (Kali)
Grade 6
In 6th grade band and orchestra, students have been hard at work with their first pieces of sheet music. This is a HUGE step for beginning band and orchestra. Before getting their sheet music, students mainly played exercises focusing on unison parts or at most, two parts. With their sheet music, students are learning to play multi-part music in which they may not always have the melody.
Adding harmony and bass lines makes for more exciting music, but also presents new challenges in how to piece music together. Students are doing a wonderful job learning their individual parts and then layering on other parts in small chunks.
In band, students are playing “Dark Star”, “Creatures in the Attic”, and “Themes for Jurassic Park”. In orchestra, students are working on “Russian Music Box”, “Medieval Dance”, and “Into the Midnight Forest”.
I encourage you to ask your musician about their music and to have them play small parts of it for you!
Grade 7
In 7th grade, students are continuing to build on their foundational skills, learning more complicated notes, rhythms, and sheet music. Students are also expanding their range by learning new notes above and below what they currently know.
In the coming months, both band and orchestra will be pushing to finish book 1 of Essential Elements while also preparing music for Spring Arts Night. In band, students are working on “Action Scene”, “Plaza de Toros”, and “Raiders March”. In orchestra, students are preparing “Exhilaration”, “Guest Soloist”, and “Sahara Crossing”.
Students will have several homework playing assignments in the coming weeks, so I hope you will hear more practicing!
In addition to all of the music making, students also participated in a Black History Month lesson before mid-winter break. Students learned about the Civil Rights Movement and how music played a role as a form of nonviolent protest. Students were deeply engaged in the music and its impact, relating to how music continues to play an important role in current events. It was amazing to see the connections that students made!
Grade 8
It feels like forever since I have seen our amazing 8th graders! Just before the break and Rome, students received new music to prepare for Spring Arts Night. This is their most challenging set of music yet, and students have shown excitement over preparing these pieces.
In band, students are working on “Dark Ride”, “Byzantine Dances”, and “Tune from County Derry”. In orchestra, students are preparing “El Toro”, “Swan Lake”, and “Everyone’s Guide to the String Orchestra”. In both classes, there will be opportunities for section features and also a couple of solos that students can informally audition for.
8th grade students will have several homework playing assignments in the coming weeks, so I encourage you to ask your student about practicing at home!