Preparing for Day of the Dead!

Hello Choir families,

Please read the full update for information about morning drop-off, Day of the Dead, and lastly but most importantly, using Bloomz for our choir updates!

The year is off to a wonderful start!  Our singers have been getting to know each other, playing name games, practicing routines and norms, and discussing expectations to make choir a fun and successful experience for all.  Thank you to those of you making an effort to arrive on time for choir.  I know it’s hard getting everybody up and out of the house in the morning, but please remind students of our limited opportunities to rehearse and the importance of arriving on-time.  A quick note from the front office, please drop all children off through the black gate, even if they are late to choir that morning.  They must pass through the playground entrance and head to the music room from there.  Thank you also for making sure students come with a black three-ring binder and pencils on choir days.  If you have any trouble purchasing one this year, email me and I’ll make sure your child has one.

Look at these cuties!

This week we arranged our seating order in a line-up challenge where students made a line from shortest to tallest without saying a single word, not an easy feat to say the least! They were able to create their line order, which helps us make our seating arrangement for when we bring in the choir risers next week.  We went through some warm-ups together, discussed singing safely and with long vowel shapes.  Ask your singers to sing our “Many Mumbling Mice” and “Red Leather, Yellow Leather” tongue twister warm-ups for you.  Check out this video below for some more fun challenging warm-ups, and a preview of some of the warm-ups to come.

 

We have begun to work on a song we will be preparing for Day of the Dead celebrations at LFCSA on November 2nd at 5:30pm.  Please mark your calendars ahead of time, and plan on having students arrive at 5:00pm and meeting in the music room.  This is always a wonderful event and such a great opportunity for our community to come together and celebrate the lives of loved ones.  We will be singing, “De Colores” for this special celebration, a traditional Spanish language folk song. Please have students practice by listening to this video and following along in their music.

Lastly, I will be using Bloomz to help manage our calendars and reminders in choir this year.  I have included in the email with this post information and access code and details on how to join our group should you like to.  Please use the access code:P3YF9B and the instructions included below.

Instructions to Join Bloomz (English)

Instructions to Join Bloomz (Spanish)

Choir at LFCSA – Year 2!

 

Who: Fourth and Fifth grade student may enroll in choir as well as select Third graders, space permitting.  We will need to cap our group at 35 motivated members because of space.

What:  An opportunity to learn about working together as an ensemble.  We will sing a variety of repertoire from foreign language pieces, to traditional, classical, and even pop arrangements.  This year we have some exciting events in store including Day of the Dead celebrations, our annual Holiday caroling, more outreach performance opportunities, Kodaly Honor Choir festival, and even the possibility of our first adjudicated  festival at Knott’s Berry Farm!  

When: Choir will take place weekly Tuesday mornings from 7:40 -8:30 am. In order to participate in choir, you must sign up for a “First Sing”. This is not an audition, just an opportunity to get to hear your singer’s voice individually and to learn more about your singing interests and background. Sign-ups available by 10 minute slot HERE.  If by chance you don’t see a time that works for you, please email and we’ll find a time that works for both of us.  Check below for more details on the “First Sing” process.  Our first official rehearsal will be Tuesday, October 4th.

Where: Choir will take place Tuesday mornings in the music room at LFCSA. 

Getting ready for your First Sing…

The “First Sing” is an opportunity to meet singers individually (although I know many of them already), and a chance to hear your individual voice.  This is not an audition, but rather a chance to hear your child’s range and discuss the expectations of choir so we can decide if choir is a good choice together.

1. Preparing to sing… Before you plan on singing, make sure you get a good night’s sleep, and practice your song before your scheduled date and time so you feel as comfortable as possible. Drink lots of water, get a good night’s sleep, and remember, this is not an audition!

2. Why do you need to sing alone to be in choir? Singing alone isn’t a mandatory part of everyday choir, however it is valuable to hear a singer’s individual voice before we begin rehearsals. This opportunity to get to know your voice before you attend rehearsals is very important to building a strong community of collaborative singers.

3. The day of… Students should prepare to sing one verse from “America” (“My Country ‘Tis of Thee”). Lyrics do not need to be memorized but students should have practiced and memorized the melody. Please arrive 10 minutes early for you First Sing!

My country tis of thee,
Sweet land of liberty,
Of thee I sing.
Land where my fathers died!
Land of the Pilgrim’s pride!
From every mountain side,
Let freedom ring!

More questions? Please feel free to email me at ksmith@losfelizarts.org with questions you may have.

Choir Caroling Celebrations!

This holiday season, LFCSA’s choir ventured out into the community of Eagle Rock to share our musical gifts.  Thanks in huge part to our incredible parents and families, we were able to make this celebration a very special one, complete with snacks, treats, and hot cocoa on a surprisingly chilly California night.

Our singers sang beautifully, and we visited the local fire station and a restaurant to share our holiday tunes before finishing our evening with a choir and family celebration.  Special thanks to Heather Hope-Allison and Erika Sanquist for their planning and organization, our clean-up crew who stayed after to help us clean up the space, and the Young family for the beautiful photos below.

 

 

Choir at LFCSA!

Who: Any Third, Fourth, Fifth, or Sixth Grade student may enroll in choir. This year’s program is open to all upper grade LFCSA students, and is an opportunity for musicians to learn vocal techniques and sing a variety of repertoire in a group of motivated musicians.  

What: This year our choral singers will have an opportunity to learn more about singing in an ensemble setting. This is an exciting opportunity that we are opening up to our community so that the students of LFCSA can deepen their knowledge of singing and gain the invaluable experience of singing in a choral ensemble. We will also be participating in a number of informal performances this year to reach and engage with our community.  

When: Choir will take place weekly on Wednesdays from the end of your child’s school day until 4:30 pm. In order to participate in choir, you must sign up for a “First Sing”. This is not an audition, just an opportunity to get to hear your singer’s voice individually and to learn more about your singing interests and background. Sign-ups available by 10 minute slot HERE. First Sing times are available beginning September 21st until October 2nd with a variety of different after school times.  If by chance you don’t see a time that works for you, please email and we’ll find a time that works for both of us.  Check below for more details on the “First Sing” process.

Where: Choir will take place Wednesdays in the music room at LFCSA. The music room will be open from Third grade dismissal until 4:30.

Getting ready for your First Sing…

The “First Sing” is an opportunity to meet singers individually (although I know many of them already), and a chance to hear your individual voice.  This is not an audition, but rather a chance to hear your child’s range and discuss the expectations of choir so we can decide if choir is a good choice together.

1. Preparing to sing… Before you plan on singing, make sure you get a good night’s sleep, and practice your song before your scheduled date and time so you feel as comfortable as possible. Drink lots of water, get a good night’s sleep, and remember, this is not an audition!

2. Why do you need to sing alone to be in choir? Singing alone isn’t a mandatory part of everyday choir, however it is valuable to hear a singer’s individual voice before we begin rehearsals. This opportunity to get to know your voice before you attend rehearsals is very important to building a strong community of collaborative singers.

3. The day of… Students should prepare to sing one verse from “America” (“My Country ‘Tis of Thee”). Lyrics do not need to be memorized but students should have practiced and memorized the melody. Please arrive 10 minutes early for you First Sing!

My country tis of thee,
Sweet land of liberty,
Of thee I sing.
Land where my fathers died!
Land of the Pilgrim’s pride!
From every mountain side,
Let freedom ring!

More questions? Please feel free to email me at ksmith@losfelizarts.org with questions you may have.