Mrs. McKeever's Music Education Classroom

SPREAD THE GOOD NEWS through Music!

Sister Herron's Music Education Classroom

Music Ministry Prayer
Bless us, O Lord, who minister through music in your Church.
Grant that the music we create with our voices and instruments,
And what we believe in our hearts we will show forth in our lives.
Through Jesus Christ Our Lord.  AMEN

Our school is truly blessed to have both a Liturgy Band and Choir.  Our members meet on an as-needed basis to prepare songs for our monthly school liturgies.  Fifth through Eighth graders enjoy playing their brass, woodwind and percussion instruments to help us praise God at Mass.  There are NO auditions, just orientations to our Liturgy Band.  Interested students must have an instrument and have had private lessons or be a member of our school band.

Some accomplishments:

* Our Third through Eighth Grade School Choir joined other Catholic Grade Schools to sing in a Holy Cross High School Concert last December!  We will be joining them again this year.

* Some of our students joined the new Parish Children’s Choir and Ensemble and helped enhance the music at our First Holy Communions and the Parish Children’s Anniversary Mass!  The choir and ensemble have already started rehearsing and have already participated in Mass.  Any interested students should see Mrs. McKeever for more information.

* Some of our choir/band members will be participating in the Thanksgiving Day Parade with different schools in the area.  As part of the Mass Youth Choir, they will be performing to a live television audience on the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum!  Please tune in to Channel 6 ABC's Boscov's Annual Thanksgiving Day Parade on Thursday, November 24th in the morning!  We will be airing sometime in the 10 o'clock hour.

In class, children are learning all about the elements of music.  When we put terms and definitions into music, it can serve as a helpful brain technique to remember and recall the information.  In a God-centered environment, children are learning to use their “gentle,” yet loud high and low voices as they play games, sing songs, and add fun percussion instruments.

Our Kindergarten is having fun learning about steady bea t through the use of their voices and classroom percussion instruments.  They recently learned all about the rest, music's silent beat!

Students in grades one through six are now preparing to perform our Christmas Show, "Camel Lot: Don't Miss the Manger," by Cyndi Nine, Rob Howard, and David Guthrie.   They will be spreading the good news of Jesus's birth through music!  It will be held on Thursday , December 1st.  Mrs. McKeever is looking for signed permission slips at this time.

Our seventh graders are studying the line and space notes of the music staff at this time.  They will be researching the history and origin of Christmas Carols very soon.

 Our eighth graders are beginning a group project that involves creating a Radio Station and composing a jingle.  They will be wr iting commercials for real or fake products or events and composed jingles for these commercials to use in their radio shows. 

As a whole-brain activity, music enhances our ability to think, feel and create no matter what subject we are learning.  Creating music, or composing can be a creative expression of our thoughts and feelings.  When making music, we must strive to express the thoughts and feelings that the song is producing within us.  St. Augustine said, “Singing is twice praying.”  When we truly pray the words our liturgical songs are about, we are letting God into our hearts to be shaped into disciples as we SPREAD THE GOOD NEWS!

"GO OUT AND TELL" by Bobby Fisher and Greg Lee

Go out and tell, make disciples of nations.

Go out and tell the good news.

Sing from your heart, sing to all of creation.

Go out and tell the good news!

Homework

    1. ALL STUDENTS in Grades K-8 need a 2-pocket folder clearly labeled with their name and homeroom on the front. Students in grades 6-8 who have an accordian file folder are welcome to use one of these files for music. STUDENTS in Grades 3-8 need a clearly labeled copybook (no spiral-bound). You are welcome to continue using last year's copybook.
    2. Those interested in Choir/Liturgy Band need to fill out a Music Contract and return to Mrs. McKeever. This is still open for those who wish to participate!
    3. Thanksgiving Day Parade participants need to see Mrs. McKeever for their sweatshirt and a parent release form ASAP.