There's a Song in the Air
I've always wanted to live in a musical. To have people burst into song about anything and everything at any time would be a dream come true. Ask me at any time what song is going through my head and I can give you the title or sing it for you. Because music has always been a big part of my life, being able to share my passion for it at MCA, has been a fantastic experience.
Let me tell you what has been happening this year, beginning with elementary. The K-2nd grade and 3rd & 4th grade classes have music one to two times a week. The K-2 class has learned sol-feg notes and hand signs as well as rhythm. They can read, clap and write rhythms that include quarter notes, eighth notes and rests. The 3rd & 4th graders have learned note names on the treble and bass clefs as well as note values and rhythms. They have also learned about the different families of instruments. Of course, Mrs. Cox also teaches them how to play the chimes.
The 5th & 6th graders are excited because they get to learn how to play a wind instrument for the first time. The first several weeks of school each student got to play at least four different instruments, two brass and two woodwind. After playing each they decided which they would like to play the most. Since then they have been practicing three times a week and moving right along. They will be playing at the K-6 Spring Concert on May 8th.
The 7th & 8th graders are required to be in both band and choir. I won't tell you that they all like it, but I will tell you that they do a great job. I was very proud of them a few weeks ago when the band performed at the Minnetonka church. They, along with the 5th and 6th graders, are in Hutchinson this weekend for the annual elementary music festival. All the elementary schools from Minnesota send their 5th through 8th graders to Maplewood for several days and they form one mass choir. The results are always astounding. There is nothing like the voices of children praising God. They will be giving a concert this afternoon at 4:00 in the Maplewood gymnasium.
Students in high school have the option of being in band or choir. These groups have progressed so much this year. I have to admit that I was a little nervous about teaching high school students but I have had a wonderful time with them. They seem to know that it is their effort that will make the group fail or succeed. Choir started out with 11 members and now has 18. Because band has only 11 members, each member is basically a soloist. Everyone plays so confidently that they sound much larger than they are. You are invited to attend our final concert of the year on Tuesday, May 13th, at the Minnetonka Amphitheater right behind the ice arena. Bring a chair or blanket to sit on.
This year the high school band and choir went on the very first music tour in MCA history. We spent four days traveling through Wisconsin and Illinois performing and sight-seeing. We performed at three elementary schools and two churches. The school performances really made me appreciate MCA's music program. They were all small schools and none of them had a choir, much less a band. The students will never have the opportunity to play an instrument unless they take private lessons somewhere else. I'm glad MCA makes music a priority for our students.
We also got to have some fun in Chicago. We went to a Youth Symphony concert and up the Sears Tower, ate some Chicago style pizza, went to a White Sox game and nearly froze, and visited Navy Pier. On our way home we stopped in Wisconsin Dells and drove go-carts. There are a few students who should never be allowed to drive a go-cart and definitely not a car!
All in all, the trip was a success. It is always nice to perform for your friends and family, but there is something exciting and special about sharing the talents God has given you with people far away from home.
This year music has been a bigger part of my life than ever before and I love it. There is, as usual, always a song in my head, but this year when I start singing it, there are often a bunch of other people who may start singing along. I think it's as close to living in a musical as I can get.
By Stephanie Ferguson, MCA Music Director
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