Music Parent Letter
February 2018
Dear Parents,
Well, February was a short month in music this year not just due to the fewer days but also because I was on vacation for part of it. I was able to bring back some fun books and puppets on Australian animals and we have enjoyed listening to the strange and interesting sounds these animals make. We have heard the wombat, penguin, koala, and kookaburra.
Our primary focus, however, was learning about the instrument families. We were fortunate again this year to welcome three professional musicians from the Colorado Music Festival and Center for Musical Arts. Ms Joy brought instruments from the string family, Mr. Devon brought instruments from the brass family, and Ms Olga brought instruments from the woodwind family. All classrooms were able to hear and touch these instruments and our preschool through kindergarten classes were given the opportunity to play the instruments. From the strings we had the violin, viola, and cello, I also brought in my guitar the week prior. From the brass family we played the trumpet and operated the buttons on the French horn. From the woodwind family we played the flute and operated the buttons on the saxophone and clarinet. In addition, Ms Olga played the flute and piccolo and allowed the children to hear the difference in their sound. Mr. Devon played a little on the French horn and trumpet. Ms Olga does not play clarinet or saxophone but happily demonstrated some rather loud and wonderful sounds on both these instruments.
For the remaining month of February and into March we will continue to explore the sounds of other, primarily folk, instruments. We are also listening and moving to recorded music of the various instrument families. My hope is that the children will be able to identify which instrument family is being played by their look and by the way they make their sound. They also love to tell me when they have these instruments in their home. I think it is so great that so many of our children have this early exposure.
As always, I welcome any thoughts you may have or stories of how these experiences have impacted your family.
Ms. Kathleen