Greetings!

Well it looks like this school year (2012-13) is wrapping up and it is a good time to see what was accomplished... 

For those who will be new additions to the Mansfeld community, this information can be helpful if you decide to try out the Vocal Music Program.  Yes, we do sing, but we also learn to appreciate many styles of music. We also help to develop your vocal skills so that you can use it in High School to compete with other students from other schools.  Being a part of a Fine Arts program can help to make your school years more enjoyable! 

Listed below are some of the items we have participated in this past school year:

• AUGUST-Open House in early August.  We learned a little song and dance to prepare forthe year and performed for the parents.  The song we performed is "Give Me That Spotlight!"
• SEPTEMBER-Practice and preparation Palo Verde Festival, Phoenix Trip AND advanced choral test in December.  Students were given a song to learn by sight singing, a skill learned in class and encouraged to be practiced at home with songs and exercises from the sight singing book on this blogsite.  This song will be the sight singing "TEST"
• OCTOBER-Practice and preparation Palo Verde Festival, Phoenix Trip AND advanced choral test in December. Students were given a song to learn by sight singing, a skill learned in class and encouraged to be practiced at home with songs and exercises from the sight singing book on this blogsite.
• NOVEMBER-TUSD Middle and High School Festival at Palo Verde High School.  This occured in early November.  The Beginning and Advanced chorus participated in this year with 2-3 songs each.
• DECEMBER-THE TEST!!!  The singing test is not difficult, one only needs to put in the time to help develop and synchronize sounds as they relate to your mouth (throat and lungs), ears, and your brain.  ALL PEOPLE CAN SING WELL if they put in the practice time regularly.  We developed a temporary intermediate class of students who needed a little more assistance in developing their musical ability.   THE PHOENIX TRIP-Throughout the months of August, September, October and November, we fundraise for this trip by selling water and parking to the people who attend the UofA football games.



• The infamous Phoenix trip is an annual event where we sing a set of songs in the State Capitol lobby as well as listen to some other school groups from different parts of Arizona.    We usually use the same musical set when we perform prior to the Band/Orchestra Winter concert.  This year, for the first time, our choruses combined to sing the seasonal number "Carol of the Bells."  Our efforts resulted in 4 of our 8th graders (Prashamsa, Breanna, Miranda and Christie) accompanying the Tucson High Choirs in that same song!

Coming Soon!!! Video of Chorus performing at the Capitol!

Click on the URL below if you want to see last year's chorus performing there...

http://bulldogchorus.blogspot.com/2012_06_01_archive.html

• JANUARY-Practice and preparation for Spring Concert or Multicultural Night on May 3rd.  For the intermediate students, there is another singing test in April. Students were given a new song to learn by sight singing, a skill learned in class and encouraged to be practiced at home with songs and exercises from the sight singing book on this blogsite (Eyes and Ears Sight Sing).
• FEBRUARY-We had a performance for "Literacy Night."  The advanced students performed an acapella version of a song entitled "Love is Love."  The 6th grade chorus finished the performance by performing a timely piece called "Castle on a Cloud" from the story Les Miserables and "Figure Eight" from Schoohouse Rock.  Great night and the students performed well!                                                                                                               Practice and preparation for Spring Concert or Multicultural Night on May 3rd.  For the intermediate students, there is another singing test in April. Students were given a new song to learn by sight singing, a skill learned in class and encouraged to be practiced at home with songs and exercises from the sight singing book on this blogsite (Eyes and Ears Sight Sing).
• MARCH-Practice and preparation for Spring Concert or Multicultural Night on May 3rd For the intermediate students, there is another singing test in April. Students were given a new song to learn by sight singing, a skill learned in class and encouraged to be practiced at home with songs and exercises from the sight singing book on this blogsite (Eyes and Ears Sight Sing).
• APRIL-AIMS!!! Prior to the AIMS test, we had a performance on AIMS night.  The Advanced students sang with the Theater kids, a song from Pirates of Penzance entitled "The Modern Major General" song.  The 6th graders sang through Figure Eight again and then both groups combined to sing the song "NOUN, a person place or thing" also from Schoolhouse Rock. 
  
  The intermediate students tested again to qualify for advanced chorus for the next year, while the 8th graders were beginning preparations for auditioning for the Tucson High Choirs.  After AIMS, our focus will be on the performance at the Multicultural event on May 3.
• MAY-There are three evening performances that may involve chorus, and they are on May 3, May 7 and possibly May 9.  There will also be a daytimie performance for visiting elementary schools to our campus.

These are some, or most of the performances, but there have been many little ones within the school or classrooms that have been very fun...like the 6th graders singing an impromptu version of Hanna Montana's "The Climb."  (There's nothing to see, I just made the video for the audio portion...enjoy!)

 



 



I look forward to another great year and not so much dividing up of the groups, there will only be an advanced and beginning 6th grade group.  New students to the program will be assisted to help with music reading skills as part of the whole group.  I and "We" welcome you!!  If there are any questions about ANTYTHING in the vocal music program, please email or call me:
thomas.levario@tusd1.org or call 520-225-1872.

Songs for practice over the Turkey day break!!

There are three songs that can be practiced while on Thanksgiving break, including "La Fiesta De La Posada, Carol of the Bells and Feliz Navidad." 

Here are YouTube Videos to all three songs:

La Fiesta De La Posada (Advance the video ahead for about a minute as there is some talking before the song)

Carol of the Bells (This is a Chinese Choir singing in English.  They are singing very slow so this is good to practice to...)

Feliz Navidad (A Jose Feliciano Standard...)

So Many Things, So Little Time...

We are back from fall break and moving in a quick way toward the end of the semester!  Chorus students are working on regular class work as well as improving their musicianship.
A field trip/ festival comiing up is at Palo Verde High School on October 29.  Students have a singing test on Friday to help them to prepare for the semester test in December.  A piece of that semester test will be used to determine who goes to the Palo Verde Festival. 

THE GOAL:  To help students to read music independently. 

 

Student are to read the piece using rhythmic understanding and solfeggio to help them to understand how it sounds.  Click Here for a copy of the entire piece.

The Assignment...

Yes, I know that this is a shameless way to have you all visit the website, but you all should visit regularly to know what is going on.  Here is the assignment:

We need students to work the parking lot and sell water this Saturday and other Saturdays.  You are to choose the Saturday you are going to work.  Write it down, (the date) and have your parent sign it.   It should have the sentence, "I (your name) will work selling water and parking lot spaces for the following UofA football game: (Game date here) .  

If your parent can work the game as well to supervise the water sales, please have them indicate that on the same form.

I NEED THIS TO BE TURNED IN BY FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14.

Remember, one condition to attend the field trip to the state capitol is to work at least one game.  The 7 students who worked the last two games only have to write the date that they worked (September 1 and September 8)

Remember, time sheets are also due on Friday!!!  Just a note that says you sang for 10 minutes for 5 days totaling 50 minutes with a parent signature.  This is from last Saturday to this Friday.

Water anyone?  

Today (September 8, 2012) Chorus members converged upon many unsuspecting fans of the UofA Wildcats with water at an AMAZING price (WE SOLD OUT!!) and ample parking at a prime spot by the UofA stadium.  The kids, being as resourceful as they are, made up a "Water Song" to help sell the containers of H20.  While the song may not rival the "Sons of the Pioneers," (We will learn that one for next week) it displayed the creative and "plucky" spirit of our chorus members.  Click on the video above!

WE NEED PARENTS!!!!!

Can you volunteer to supervise the chorus kids while they hold signs for parking or sell water to UofA fans going to the football games?  Please call Mr. Levario at either 225-1872 or his cell at 520-241-9329.   There are home football games on these dates:

9/15/12

9/29/12

10/20/12

10/27/12

11/10/12

                11/23/12 (Black Friday)

    

All in a day's (or week's)work...

This week, the beginning chorus began it's quest to find the best three songs to sing from the musical "Oliver."  So far we have practiced "Consider Yourself," and "Food Glorious Food!"
We have yet to tackle other songs from the musical that will "contrast" the active and robust songs that we currently know. 
A small contingiency came to "Open House" and sang through the "Instruments of the Orchestra" in unison, giving the audience something more to listen to than just the rules of the music classroom!

During that same evening, the Advanced chorus started cutting the rug with a song entitled "Give Me That Spotlight!"  This song was done in the manner of a Broadway number with singing AND choreography.

Hopefully there will be some videos posted of each of the those performances.

On the week of August 27-31, the Advanced chorus, had lessons on copyright, 2 part harmony, and on improvement of the "head voice."  Our song of study was "Good Morning to you" (otherwise known as the "Happy Birthday Song."  We "analyzed" the song in terms of pitch, creating a workable harmony and why it is rare to hear it done on TV or Movies.



We then got to experiment with our new found knowledge and performed the song for our Science teacher "Ms Bittel." (Yes, it was her birthday!)  The video is below:



The kids show much promise this year and I am very proud of their efforts!

I will be posting some images of 6th grade chorus work very soon!

Welcome to a new year!!!

This is the 2012-13 school year and I am excited about the activities planned!  The new 6th grade Chorus is quite able to tackle some challenging and entertaining songs and the Advanced Chorus is currently working on a song and dance number for Open House (at least a little bit of it!)

The video below shows the music/theater classroom that is constantly changing.  Check it out!


One of our first performances this year will be at Open House, which occurs on August 23, 2012.  The students of the Beginning chorus have been working on a novelty song about instruments of the Orchestra and the Advanced chorus have been working on a song and dance number.  Hope to see you there!