Celebration Ringers: Students in grades five through eight have the opportunity to participate in Celebration Ringers, our handbell ensemble as an elective. Previous musical experience is not required. Students learn ringing techniques and develop music reading and performance skills. Two rehearsals are held each week during the school day. Celebration Ringers plays for Sunday services at St. Paul’s 5 or 6 times during the school year, in addition to ringing for chapel services and other events.
Activities in this group include:
• Rhythm matching
• An introduction to music notation and the development of music reading skills
• Developing effective rehearsal techniques
• Learning to follow a conductor’s cues and gestures
• Learning a variety of handbell and tonechime techniques
• Listening to and performing music from a variety of styles and cultures
• Serving as music leaders in worship
• Using music as an outreach and witness tool in the community
Out of respect for the other members of the group, the director, and those who will be the audience for each performance, choir and handbell members are expected to make performance attendance a priority. As much as possible, please plan other activities around scheduled performance dates in order to avoid conflict. The choir and handbell schedule was sent home the first week of school and is posted on this website. Handbell members who are unable to participate in a performance are required to arrange for a substitute ringer. All members of Celebration Ringers have been given a lsit of available substitutes.
The pieces we have learned so far are:
Etude in C (John A. Behnke)
Amazing Grace (John A. Behnke)
Etude in G Minor (John A. Behnke)
America (John A. Behnke)
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (Kevin McChesney)
Were You There? (Lloyd Larson)
When I Survey the Wondrous Cross (Lloyd Larson)
Song of Joy (Anna Laura Page)
Largo from the "New World Symphony" (Antonin Dvorak, Frances Callahan)
A Glad Alleluia (Kevin McChesney)
In addition to basic ringing, we have learned these bell techniques:
martellato
martellato lift
tower swing
thumb damp
shake
leave vibrating
Right now we are working on A Glad Alleluia by Kevin McChesney - it's our most challenging piece yet with a lively tempo, lots of eighth notes, and bell changes!
Students who take private lessons on a musical instrument or voice are invited to prepare pieces suitable for use as a prelude, offertory, or postlude for chapel services. Contact Mrs. Robb for more information. Students who have already shared their musical gifts and talents as part of worship are:
Erich E. (organ and piano)
James C. (piano)
Phillip C. (piano)
Christina J. (harp)
James P. (organ and piano)
Jessica P. (piano)
Madyson F. (piano)
Carsten F. (piano)
Margaret C. (piano)
Reagan H. (piano)
Carsten F. (piano)
Grant M. (piano)
Jessica R. (piano)
Thank you!
Celebration Choir: All students in grades three and four participate in this choir. It is an elective for students in grades five through eight. Two rehearsals are held each week during the school day. Celebration Choir sings for Sunday services at St. Paul’s 5 or 6 times during the school year, in addition to singing for chapel services and other events. Students in fifth through eighth grade who sing in this choir have opportunities to audition for solos!
Activities in this group includes:
• Developing the singing voice
• Pitch matching
• Rhythm matching
• An introduction to music notation and the development of music reading skills
• Developing effective rehearsal techniques
• Learning to follow a conductor’s cues and gestures
• Playing rhythm instruments, tonechimes, and handbells
• Listening to and performing music from a variety of styles and cultures
• Serving as music leaders in worship
• Using music as an outreach and witness tool in the community
Out of respect for the other members of the group, the director, and those who will be the audience for each performance, choir and handbell members are expected to make performance attendance a priority. As much as possible, please plan other activities around scheduled performance dates in order to avoid conflict. The choir and handbell schedule was sent home the first week of school and is posted on this website
.
We're having a fantastic choir year! Celebration Choir's repertoire is growing by leaps and bounds and currently includes the following:
Jubilate Deo (Michael Bedford)
By His Grace (Steve Fry)
Go Now In Peace (Natalie Sleeth)
This Do In Remembrance of Me (Judy Hunnicutt)
O Thou that Tellest Good Tidings (G.F. Handel, arr. Jeremy J. Bankson)
Advent Joy (Hal H. Hopson)
The Angel Gabriel (John Raymond Howell)
Gloria (Donald G. Christianson, Carrie L. Kraft)
As Bread that Is Broken (Paul Baloche, Claire Cloninger)
All Around Your Throne (Lynn DeShazo, Ed Kerr)
All Things Bright and Beautiful (Arnold B. Sherman)
Think What He'll Do For You (Jan Sanborn, Brian D. Farrell)
Come, Let Us Sing (Jody W. Lindh)
Prayer Litany (Helen Kemp)
Cherub Choir: All students in kindergarten, first, and second grade participate in this choir. These three grades rehearse separately but perform together. Two rehearsals are held each week during the school day. Cherub Choir sings for Sunday services at St. Paul’s 5 or 6 times during the school year, in addition to singing for chapel services and other events.
Activities in this group include:
• Developing the singing voice
• Pitch matching
• Rhythm matching
• An introduction to music notation and the development of music reading skills
• Developing effective rehearsal techniques
• Learning to follow a conductor’s cues and gestures
• Playing rhythm instruments, tonechimes, and handbells
• Listening to and performing music from a variety of styles and cultures
• Serving as music leaders in worship
• Using music as an outreach and witness tool in the community
Out of respect for the other members of the group, the director, and those who will be the audience for each performance, choir members are expected to make performance attendance a priority. As much as possible, please plan other activities around scheduled performance dates in order to avoid conflict. The choir and handbell schedule was sent home the first week of school and is posted on this website.
We are making great progress in our work on music reading. Flashcard assignment #3 was sent home 1/11. Please be sure to review the cards with your child at least 3 times a week.
We are reading Jake, the Philharmonic Dog by Karen LeFrak and Marcin Baranski and learning about the instruments of the orchestra. We have listened to:
Badinerie from Orchestral Suite No. 2 (J.S. Bach) - flute
Adagio from Oboe Concerto in D Minor (J.S. Bach) - oboe
Allegro from Horn Concerto No. 3 in Eb, K 447 (Mozart) - french horn
Trumpet Tune and Air (Purcell) - trumpet
Canon in D (Johann Pachelbel) - orchestra
Brandenburg Concerto No.3, 1st movement - orchestra
Spring from "The Four Seasons" (Antonio Vivaldi) - orchestra
Water Music, Suite No. 2 in D, 1st movement (G.F. Handel) - orchestra
Symphony No. 40 in G Minor: Molto allegro (Mozart) - orchestra
Eine kleine Nachtmusik: Allegro (Mozart) - orchestra
Symphony No. 5: Allegro con brio, Allegro (Beethoven) - orchestra
Tannhauser: Arrival of the guests at Wartburg (Wagner) - orchestra
The Sleeping Beauty Ballet Suite: Waltz (Tchaikovsky) - orcgestra
We've learned these anthems so far:
There Is a Green Hill Far Away (Cecil Francis Alexander, William Horsley)
I Will Bless You, Lord (Damien Halloran, Tim Hildebrandt)
Jesus Loves Me
Jesus, Name Above All Names (Naida Hearn)
Jesus, Your Name (Claire Cloninger, Morris Chapman)
Come, THou Long-Expected Jesus (Vicki Hancock Wright, Charles Wesley) - 2nd grade only
Glory (Phyllis S. Miller) - Kindergarten only
Let Our Gladness Have No End (Michael Burkhardt) - 1st grade only
Sing Unto the Lord (John Erickson)
Let All the World Sing Praise (Vicki Hancock Wright)
Who Comes Riding? (Ronald A. Nelson)
Hosanna! Hosanna! (Melinda Ramseth Holland, Vicki Hancock Wright)
Click below to download the forms you need.