Davis Fine Arts: More Christmas!

I had the pleasure to attend Bluffridge Elementary's Christmas Program in the beginning of December at Clearfield High School. There is nothing quite like 900+ students singing Christmas tunes and dancing for you! Annie Caldwell is an amazing fun loving teacher who finds a way to reach every one of her students. You can tell just by her smile (and cute sweater) just how much fun she is to be around. Here is a peak at all the kiddos! And yes! That whole stage is full and so is the auditorium.

My favorite part of the night was when everyone on that stage began to sing and dance to "All I Want for Christmas is You"!. As you all know, the song begins with some great slow phrases to which Annie had her 6th grade girls AND boys do some lip syncing to. I wish I was recording during this,..oh wait I was.. but I missed the very beginning. I hope I don't out laugh the kids. If you look close, those 8 soloists from the beginning of the song are center stage on the top dancing their hearts out. It was fantastic!

If you look really close in this picture, Annie is not just directing her kids, but she is accompanying them on the piano at the same time and right next to her is a group of students with simple percussion instruments also accompanying the choir. Kudos to Annie for getting the kids involved in more than just singing!

I guess by now you all know what we had hiding in these HUMONGOUS boxes!

It has been so much fun to get out and deliver a new set of boom-whackers to every school. I have loved seeing you all even if it was just for a few minutes. I have especially loved all of the wonderful things I have seen happening in your classrooms (even though I got stuck in 3 snowy parking lots and had to dig myself out, lol!).

One snowy morning I stopped by Clinton Elementary where Angie Cammack is the music specialist. As I entered her room this is what I saw...

...12 6th grade BOYS standing around the piano singing the most beautiful song ever! Edelweiss! And guess what? they were all singing with a natural high voice, free from strain (that's a state standard and objective...teehee). Who says 6th grade boys can't sing? They can and they will when they trust you and you expect it from them. If you look closer into the picture you will see Angie's face with the biggest smile telling her boys how wonderful they were. That is what they want and need to hear form us teachers.

Here is a clip of the same class of 6th graders rehearsing a song they will be singing later in the year for a school program. Angie spent a few minutes before they sang talking about posture and breathing, but take a listen to her positive reinforcement as they get ready to sing...and listen to the beauty!

A few days later I was able to attend the Christmas Sing-a-long and Adelaide Elementary in Bountiful where Shanda Stenger is the music specialist. Shanda is a certified teacher who works hard on getting her kids engaged in the music through singing and playing. Shanda has recently been teaching Ukulele to her 5th and 6th graders and they both performed using their Ukes at the sing-a-long.

6th Graders...Go Tell it on the Mountain

5th Graders...Run, Run Rudolph

4th Graders...Jolly Old St. Nick on Boom-Whackers!

I super duper wish I was recording when the 3rd graders performed. Shanda was skeptical of their performance but it was AWESOME! She included Orff instruments (which she had to haul in from her far away portable all by herself) and had the kids playing beautiful accompaniments to Christmas is Coming.

Here's a pic of those 3rd graders....