Planning for a New School Year

School supplies are on HUGE sale right now, which must mean school's a-coming!

I am getting ready to go to a choral workshop where I will get to sing all of the new releases from the Hal Leonard catalog, and I am so excited to think about the students who will be singing with my chorus this year!

At the end of the year, I had an interest meeting for kids, and over 150 showed up, which won't ALL end up in the chorus (which is too bad, in my opinion), but still, that's fun to think about! Chorus is truly where there is a place for everyone, whether you are a great singer or not. As long as you are willing to work when you're there, I say the more the merrier!

The only thing set in stone right now is that I will have a winter concert in December and a competition in January....but with my due date (if all continues to go well) being March 3, I will have some serious planning to do to figure out how I am going to manage maternity leave and my spring concert.

Certainly will make things interesting,that's for sure!

Professional Development

This summer, after taking two summers off, I am attending a choral reading session sponsored by Hal Leonard and J.W. Pepper. Of course, these are completely selfishly promotional in that they want you to buy one of everything (and who has the money for THAT?!), but often, also they are the best chance to find a gem or two in all of the fools' gold that is released each year by the publisher.

As a special treat, I am going to the choreography session starring the one and only John Jacobson, the "happy guy" who used to work for Disney and is featured in Spotlight on Music. I don't do much with choreography, and am considering adding this into my chorus experience this year.

field trips

This coming school year, I am hoping to schedule a "music" field trip for five grades. Last year, although I had some good ideas, I only sent two grades out of the school!

So this year, I am sending third grade to the Air Force Band concert in December, the fourth grade to Baltimore to hear the BSO's Beethoven concert (I SO want to go on this field trip!) and the sixth grade to Baltimore to hear the BSO's debut of Lemony Snicket's "The Composer is Dead." (yeah, sign me up for this one too!)

The problem with these trips is that I feel that either I or the other music teacher at my school should be automatically a chaperone for them since we teach the activities that surround the concert. However, although I convinced our administration to allow one person to go last year, I am not sure that I will be successful again this year. We'll see. I am fully prepared to invest personal days in these trips.


Life is like music, it must be composed by ear, feeling and instinct, not by rule. Nevertheless one had better know the rules, for they sometimes guide in doubtful cases, though not often. -Samuel Butler (1612-80), English poet, author

Themes for this school year

Each summer, I take some time to research themes for my classroom. Last year's theme, "Find Your Inner Rock Star," was inspired by a piece of fabric and something I saw at Oriental Trading Co!

This year, I have no idea where I will be headed.

The choice is made a little bit more complicated by the fact that I have to accommodate 8 grade levels of children, ages 4-12, with the theme I choose. Two years ago, I used cows. The year before that, I don't remember!

Whatever choice I make, I have to find appropriate decorative elements...otherwise, my classroom is one big (okay, HUGE) cinderblock BOX...not inviting, not welcoming, not a place where anyone wants to be.

and one thing that can always be said about 31 Music Lane is that kids of all ages love to be there...the biggest compliment my students pay me.

So, this is for college bound peeps...BUT

So today, I dragged my family to Maryville College in Tennessee. Nestled in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains, as the press says...but five of the most AMAZING years of my life were spent at that school.

Anyway, I took a tour of the new Clayton Center for the Arts. It has two parts, connected by a plaza (with a fountain, but it wasn't on because they didn't have their "if you run and fall, it's yer own stupid fault so please don't sue us" signs up). Robert Hutchens, who was connected to the theatre program when I was at Maryville, gave my family a tour, and WAS I IMPRESSED!!!!!

The main theater space sits 1200...and was where Vanilla Ice rocked out a couple of months ago. There was also a secondary theater, not sure of its capacity. A music computer lab with Sibelius 3 software...practice rooms with new upright pianos and sound proof curtains...a fine arts library (have to admit, this area was less than impressive...couldn't imagine studying or listening to music here...but it might not be done)...huge chandeliers with 1700 mouthblown crystals...and the "bubble" motif repeated in the carpet. I also got a peek at the Harry Harter Rehearsal Hall, which seemed an unusual space because it seemed too big for the Concert Choir and too small for the Community Chorus. However, the acoustics were great.

However, my deja vu' moment was when I walked into the Recital Hall, which was in the building close to the original site. WOW...from the control room window, to the "close" feel of the stage, it was almost like walking into our old recital hall! Almost. Now, there is carpeting, so your shoes won't make that cool squinching noise when they were stuck to something. And the harpsichord is missing??? Robert couldn't tell me where it had gone, or if it would be replaced. There are no longer the stairs under the organ eaves, and the organ itself was in pieces, being rebuilt. It also smelled funny?

The lobby will have a cafe (looks like it is to be sponsored by Blackberry Farm). A nice place to gather post-recital...although everyone should experience the joy of hosting a reception in the teeny, Brady Bunch style kitchen... and living room?? ;-)

When the hall is ready, it will be a wonderful place to perform. Wouldn't it be great to have an alumni recital???

This is my charge to all of my fellow alum...talk up the music program at Maryville. Do what you can to share a piece of the magic with a high school student. If you are local, support the events as much as you can (okay, you get a pass for not going to Vanilla Ice...YUCK!)... Do all we can make sure the Maryville tradition stays alive and well, and thriving, in spite of the economy.

Why Am I Doing This?

This blog is hopefully going to help interested parents keep up with the goings-on in my classroom. I hope it will be a great resource to them, as well as to other teachers who are looking for ideas for activities and moral support!