I believe that we can truly be impressed with the wonderful musical talent at OCS. The great singing from the students in grades k-5 and the 6th, 7th and 8th grade singing group, the guitars, the drums, recorders and bells really show that we have a lot of kids into making music.
Thank you to all the teachers and staff that helped with the concert. It would be impossible without your support. Thank you to the students who worked so hard practicing, studying words and notes and working behind the scenes. And what a crowd - parents, grandparents, friends, our adminstration, board members, siblings - I can't even figure them all....... making the concert such a festive event for the children.

1st - remember -WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 15TH is the date for the winter concert. Students in grades k-8 are busy rehearsing and preparing for the show. All of the k-5 students are not only working on show, The Marvelous Magical Sleigh, they are also moving to the beat, playing percussion instruments and singing for other songs that will be part of the concert.
6th grade will be learning about notes, chords, triads and scales using bells. 7th and 8th grade have started a guitar unit.

Hi,

A lot is going on in October. But the date/day to remember is WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 15th. That is the date of the WINTER CONCERT. Students in grades k-5 have already started the music from "My Marvelous Magical Sleigh", and the 7th and 8th grades will be working on guitars in just a couple weeks. 6th grade can be involved with the concert by playing bells or reading, and of course we are always so happy to have the 6th - 8th grade students who help behind the scenes as stage crew. Wouldn't it be neat to have a sleigh in this concert? Contact me if you have any ideas.
Highlights from the classroom include: 8th grade rhythm complex perfomances, 7th grade creating rhythm performances with only rhythm sticks (a very creative group), and 6th grade starting to work on "Stomp" perfomances (not to worry if your 6th grader is bringing spoons and pots and pans to school). And of course we have to be singing some songs for October. Our k-3rd grade may try to startle you with a BOO!!!!
LOOK OUT!

What is child prodigy is one of the questions for our 3rd - 5th grade students this week. We read about and saw an interview of a modern day child prodigy, Emily Bear (an 8year old from Illinois) who plays piano and writes her own music. She also has recorded several CD's and has performed at the White House. Not only did our 3rd - 5th grade students learn about Emily, they also talked about another famous music prodigy, W. A. Mozart.
Our 8th grade can REALLY keep a rock beat. This week we played the rock beat rhythms on bass, snare and cymbals with basic variations. Look out 7th grade.
Several classes in grades 4th-8th participated in "performance and report day". Students who play an instrument or enjoy singing or would like to share information about a musical group or
performer had a chance to share with the class songs and musical facts.
K-2nd grade have been moving to the music and even learning a little rhythmic notation.

September??? Already???
With the new books and supplies comes the excitement of planning another year.
We will be continuing to do many of the musical activities the children have enjoyed (recorders for the 4th grade, guitars for the 7th and 8th grades, instruments, singing and preparing concerts....). A new addition planned this year for the 3rd - 5th grade will be Music Express Magazines. There will be new publications every 2 months with a new and fun approach of songs to sing, dances, history and interviews.
Let's all have a wonderful year!

Happy Memorial Day. What a wonderful day to not only enjoy BBQ and summer fun but to remember those who have fought and sacrificed for our freedom.

A special thanks for all those who helped with the concert. The students did an excellent job with their performances. We had singing, recorders, bells, flutes, guitars and skits. There is a lot of musical talent amoungst the students at OCS. The 2 part singing at the end of the concert was incredible. Students in grades kindergarten - 7th grade were all able to sing their parts. It's great that we have students that worked a little extra to play the guitars, sing, play recorders, tell stories and play flutes. And of course our k-5 feature of Aesop adventure not only included some wonderful music, but those classic stories with a message.

Good morning -

It's May already - and a lot is happening in music.
Hopefully we are all getting ready for the Spring Concert on the 26th. The students in grades k-5 have been working on the music for An Aesop Adventure and are sounding great. A group of the 6th grade students will be telling the stories. We also have a group of 7th and 8th grade students working on the song "Stand By Me" to play on the guitar and of course we have the students who will be working behind the scenes on stage. The concert will conclude with all the students in grades k-5 (and a couple of 6th and 7th graders) singing patriotic songs. I think it's great that we have students from every grade involved.
Not only is there the concert - 1st grade has been learning about instruments, 2nd and 3rd grade will be learning about Vivaldi and the 4 Seasons, 4th grade is REALLY busy not only singing the songs for the concert - but they are preparing songs on the recorder and earning belts for recorder Karate. 5th grade just finished a unit on the 3 B's and 6th grade is starting a unit on the musical "Oliver". Kindergarten really enjoyed moving to the music of Camille Saint Saens, Carnival of the Animals. 8th grade completed their history unit with reports on 21st century musicians - and did an excellent job with powerpoints and written reports. While 7th grade is now playing guitars, they just finished a unit on Baroque and Classical composers.
Enjoy the beautiful weather and sights and sounds of spring!

Hi,
Looking forward to spring yet?
What's happening in music?
Mark your Calenders - The OCS Spring Concert is Wednesday, May 26th. The students in grades kindergarten - 5th grade are working on music and skits from "Aesops Fables". What are "Aesops Fables"? They are stories that teach a lesson. The "Lion and the Mouse", "The Grasshopper and the Ant", and "The Hare and the Tortoise" are just a few of the stories that you will see in May.
The 4th grade has started playing recorders and we are planning to have them play for the concert. The 7th and 8th grade are presently finishing a music history unit and will be starting another guitar unit soon. The 6th grade is learning about various elements of music (pitch, harmony, rhythm...) and are using the xylophones and bells to play melodies and chords. Plans are being made to not only have the students in 6th - 8th grade help behind stage but to also have them as a part of the concert by playing instruments.
The students in grades k-3 are not only getting ready for a concert. 1st grade has already learned about percussion instruments and brass instruments and will be learning about woodwind and string instruments within the next several weeks. Kindergarten has heard the music and is doing activities with Camille Saint Saens, "Carnival of the Animals". 2nd and 3rd grades are learning how Prokofiev used various instruments to tell the story of "Peter and the Wolf".