Notes from the Music Staff April 2012 CUMBERLAND VALLEY SC HOOL DISTRICT Through the Eyes of a Student Rysa Thomas, Good Hope 8th Grade Student One of the of it. Because the best students County Band also helped me happiest times in a person’s of each instrument were cho- to stay in balance. Basically in life is when they’re per- sen, there were a lot of people band, your goal is to sound forming. With the adrena- in my section. I learned to lis- down to the lowest sound in Thoughts from line pulsing through your ten and blend in with them. the band. If the lowest instru- Silver Spring veins you become worried This made me a much better ment is playing quietly, you Students: you’ll make a mistake, yet musician because not only did I have to play quietly. If you somehow you don’t! This learn what it was like to hear can hear the low sound, you’re year’s inaugural Middle my part all around me, I also in balance. I was so used to Music lets me express School Band Festival gave learned how to tune with them. only having me in my section , myself however I so I usually had to play louder me the same feeling. When Our conductor, Dr. William want. to keep in balance. County I was sitting on stage and Stowman, spent the first part of Band helped me to sound ….Kayla Koch playing the music I worked rehearsal not talking to us. We down to the lowest sound in hard to master, I felt a feel- had to use our ears to figure out the band, and now I can be in ing of excitement. The our parts as he played his trum- balance in any band I play! The best thing is any- County Band concert was pet.. It seemed as though this one of the must fun per- one can do it (music). would be very tough, but I County Band was an experi- You can be 3 or 93. formances I’ve ever experi- came to realize that my ear was ence I’ll never forget. The mu- enced and I’ll probably a lot more developed than I sic was incredibly fun, I ….Sophia Samowski never forget it. thought. In fact, playing by ear learned so much and I couldn’t Performing was amazing also helps you play in the right have asked for a better guest I know that I’d never key. If your ear is developed conductor. Not to mention, our but working our way up to be me, if I never ven- the performance was of enough to hear accidentals and performance was amazing! I equal enjoyment. I learned mistakes in pieces, you can stay never thought I could learn so tured into musical so much and have become in the right key and fix wrong much in two days, and yet I fields of creativity. a better musician because notes. did! ….Libby Walker Symphonic Winds Musicians Excel at Festivals Scott Ainscough Another thing that Symphonic Winds was well by Cumberland Valley High Finally, Amanda Ryan and changed since I started represented this year at School. In further honors, Jennifer Dibert were selected taking (music) lessons is PMEA District 7, Region V two senior members of the to play in a nationally audi- that now I have the and All-State Festivals, with ensemble, Amanda Ryan tioned performing group at courage to go up on 17 students representing CV and Andrew Loose, were Carnegie Hall in new York stage and play in front in the District Band. Addi- accepted to participate in City! Congratulations to all of of people. tionally, 18 students repre- the PMEA All-State Band in these outstanding musicians! sented CV at the inaugural Lancaster, PA the weekend ….Alex Brouse Cumberland County Band of April 19-21, 2012. Festival, which was hosted Notes from the Music Staff Shaull Shark Shenanigans Tracee Zygmunt We sing! We dance! We play! All collaboration also yielded tuals, the students wrote the while, we are learning coded lyrics, motions that their own blues poems that music, math, reading, litera- went along with their song, led to many creative and ture, history and science. props and drawn detailed amazing vocal performances maps. Each group per- of the 12-bar blues. Orff SPOTLIGHT ON 5TH GRADE formed their song for the instruments, Boomwhackers The fifth graders recently rest of the class while being and keyboards provided the studied the story and song filmed using a Zoom Digi- fun accompaniment of the “Follow the Drinking Gourd”, tal/Audio Recorder that was blues progression. As an a song that is encoded with a obtained through an Eagle extension of these lessons, a “map” to help slaves escape Foundation Learning Grant. live Dixieland Band com- using the Underground Rail- Upon viewing all perform- prised of local professional road. They engaged in a ance videos, the fifth grad- musicians came to Shaull to group project called Escape from ers wrote evaluations of all perform for the fifth graders. Shaull! That allowed them to group performances based Not only was this fun, but create their own “escape” song. upon the group rubrics. historically educational as Don’t worry, it was a hypotheti- well. Using the influence of the cal escape plan. Their group slave work songs and spiri- Sporting Hill Spotlight Deana Teeter Did You Music plays an important role What made you want to You can also do it whenever in the lives of many of our stu- start playing the guitar? I’ve you want to . Music is a lot of Know? dents. In this Student Spotlight, always been interested in gui- fun too. Miranda Smoker, a 5th grader tar. My uncle plays the guitar Approxi- How does being involved at Sporting Hill Elementary, and I have seen him play. Also mately 500 with music influence your shares her thoughts on music. at my old church, they had a life? Well, you get to meet a Cumberland live band that played and the What music activities do you lot of new people . Also, it is Valley guitar player was really good. participate in at school? I am in really energetic so it lets me elementary I thought “wow, I want to be the 5th grade chorus, a Sporting get my energy out. I also like like that someday”. students are Hill Singer and I play the baritone how when you are sad it involved in in band. Why do you like participat- brings you up and makes you ing in these activities? They happy. the fifth grade What music activities do you are really fun. Also, you get band and participate in outside of school? If you could share one rea- to meet a lot of new people I have taken guitar lessons for 5 son to participate in music, fourth and through music. fifth grade years. Sometimes I play guitar and what would it be? I think it’s orchestra bells at church. I also participate in What is your favorite part just a fun thing to do in your musicals with the Carlisle Theatre about being a musician? I free time. You can get up and programs. Company. I have done that for 2 like that you can always ex- play your guitar. Sometimes, I years. press your feelings with music. go in my room and just sing. How Do You Get To Carnegie Hall? Congratulations to Amanda Students are selected North America. Amanda and Ryan, Jennifer Dibert and Victo- through teacher recommen- Jennifer performed with the ria Bateman for being selected dation and a recorded audi- Honors Band and Victorian to participate in the American tion. Participation is limited sang with the Honors Choir. High School Honors Perform- to the highest rated high ance Series at Carnegie Hall. school performers across Page 2 Notes from the Music Staff ~ April 2012 Recorders: Not Just For Kids Amy Kerker It is a common misconception recorder, and I hope to have 1. Use only a “whisper” of that the recorder is a child’s shared that love with them. air, do not blow into the instrument– something stu- instrument! It is my policy that I do not let dents learn to play in school, my students take their school- 2. Press firmly with the flat and nothing more. Believe it issued recorder home for vari- part of the finger to or not, the recorder is an an- ous reasons. However, some cover the hole entirely. cient instrument that dates students have expressed an back to medieval times. Be- 3. Left hand on top-always! interest in practicing at home, fore the rise in popularity of which is something I strongly 4. Separate the notes by the transverse flute, the re- support! If you choose to pur- gently making a “t” or corder was a popular solo in- chase a recorder for your child, “d” sound with the strument that was played by it is best to purchase a quality tongue the most highly trained musi- instrument, which are avail- cians. Today, it is used in 5. The recorder is an instru- able at most music stores for schools, mostly the upper ele- ment, not a toy. Always less than $10. I also insist on mentary grades. Studying the treat it with care. good technique while practic- recorder allows students a ing. This allows the student to With these guidelines in greater understanding of music Did You be more successful. By using mind, hopefully your child theory as well as a chance to these guidelines, you can help will have you humming Know? develop their musicianship ensure your child is practicing along in no time! skills.