Variety Show News

5^th,  6^th, 7^th and 8^th Graders

Get Ready to show your stuff.  

Play an instrument, sing a song, do a skit or a dance.  

The Show will be during Catholic Schools Week.

Audition times:

January 13,14, and 15

Before School at 7:20-7:45

And

During Lunch

Auditions will be in the Music Room or on the Stage.

*Time limit on Auditions and Acts:  2 minutes.

Signup board will be in the Music Hallway 

Christmas Concert Updates

St. Joe's students are putting the final touches on the Christmas Concert.

Our Middle School Ensemble Singers, Band Members, Handbell and Chime Choirs, and all of our students in Kindergarten through 8th Grades will be performing in the Concert:  The Road to Bethlehem

All students are expected to be at the School Concerts on December 17 at Noon and 6:30pm.  If your family has a conflict with one of the concerts please send in a note explaining the absence to the school office or to ppalmer@sjsdg.org

Concert Date and Times:

December 17, Noon and 6:30pm in the Church.

Concert Tickets:

*In this messenger you should have received two tickets to the December 17 evening performance of our Christmas Concert.  The purpose of the tickets is to ensure that all parents will have a seat at the performance. Relatives and siblings are welcome to attend the noon performance, which is less crowded.

Christmas Concert Dress, December 17

Noon Concert: Since this concert is during the school day, students will wear their uniforms. EXCEPT , The Third Graders: Bring their costume to school Thursday morning and they will change and wear the costume for the Noon Concert.  After the Noon Concert, Third Graders take their costumes home and come back for the evening concert wearing their costumes.

6:30 Concert Dress: (All students should arrive by 6:15pm)

K-3 meet in the church hall, 4-7 meet in their classrooms,

8th grade in the Chapel, ensemble and Handbell choir in the Church

The Church doors will open at 6:00pm.  Please do not slip in early.  We need the time to make sure all is ready

 K,1, and 4,5,6,7,8 Grades

Students should wear their "Sunday Best".  The outfit should be one that is worn for Mass and appropriate for church.

"Sunday Best"  should follow school uniform code;  skirts/dresses an appropriate length and no spaghetti straps or high heels.  

Parents please check that your child follows school dress code.

Boys:  can wear a suit or dress slacks and shirt.  A tie is optional

Girls:  Can wear a skirt/blouse or a nice dress.  Dress Slacks are fine too.

All:  dress shoes,  (no high heels)

2nd Graders:

should wear their "Sunday Best" but will also be wearing animal hats since they will be in the manger scene.  The school will provide the special hats!

3rd Graders: See Above

Angel and Shepherd Costumes. Special costume for Mary, Joseph and Wisemen provided by the school. (Costumes should be simple, a robe for shepherds and a white dress for angels.  Wings and other accessories are optional.  If students choose to have wings they should be small)

*Families should not feel they have to buy new clothes/costumes for this concert.

Questions ? Contact Mrs. Palmer:  ppalmer@sjsdg.org

Christmas Concert

 Christmas is Coming!!

St. Joe's students are working hard on this year’s Christmas Concert.

Our Middle School Ensemble Singers, Band Members, Handbell Choirs, and all of our students in Kindergarten through 8th Grades will be performing in the Concert:  

The Road to Bethlehem

All students are expected to be at the School Concerts on December 17 at Noon and 6:30pm.  If your family has a conflict with one of the concerts please send in a note explaining the absence to the school office or to ppalmer@sjsdg.org

Concert Date and Times:

December 17, Noon and 6:30pm

In the Church Sanctuary

Check out the page links above for more info!

• Concert Dress
• Ensemble Rehearsals
• DVD Orders

Symphony Concert

The 4th and 5th Graders went to hear the West Suburban Symphony Concert in Oak Brook this week.

The concert featured music from Jurassic Park and the Peer Gynt Suite.  Maestro Lipari had a great rapport with the students and introduced all the musical sections of the orchestra.

Students are invited to attend the Orchestras Holiday concert.

The Road To Bethlem

Christmas is Coming!!

Students are starting to work on songs for this year’s Christmas Concert.  Our theme this year is “The Road to Bethlehem.”

Concert Date and Times:

December 17, Noon and 6:30pm

In the Church Sanctuary

Christmas Ensemble rehearsals

Students in 6, 7, and 8 grades can participate in an ensemble group.  

Those in the ensemble can audition for a solo.

Rehearsals have started and interested students can still join.

Wednesdays, 12:30-12: 50

• 8th Grade Girls:  rehearse during lunch

Wednesdays, 2:30-3:00pm

• Middle School Ensemble: 6,7,8 grade students who would like to sing in a small group.  

Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday mornings, 7:30-7:45

• Extra Rehearsals:   For all middle school ensemble singers who want some extra help or can't make another rehearsal

Mr. Barton and I will speak with Instrumentalists about the various opportunities to play.  We are so fortunate that Mr. Barton is willing to arrange our vocal music for the Band students.

Christmas Concert Dress

K,1, and 4,5,6,7,8 Grades

Students should wear their "Sunday Best".  The outfit should be one that is worn for Mass and appropriate for church.

"Sunday Best"  should follow school uniform code;  skirts/dresses an appropriate length and no spaghetti straps or high heels

Boys:  suit or dress slacks and shirt.  A tie is optional

Girls:  skirt/blouse or a nice dress.  Dress Slacks are fine too.

All:  dress shoes,  (no high heels)

2nd Graders:

should wear their "Sunday Best" but will also be wearing animal hats since they will be in the manger scene.  The school will provide the special hats!

3rd Graders:

Angel and Shepherd Costumes. Special costume for Mary, Joseph and Wisemen provided by the school. (Costumes should be simple, a robe for shepherds and a white dress for angels.  Wings and other accessories are optional.  If students choose to have wings they should be small)

*Families should not feel they have to buy new clothes/costumes for this concert.

September and October Music News

The year is off to a great start.

K and 1 Grades
Classes are learning  about the musical whole; beat, rhythm, instruments and seasonal songs.
In October we are focusing on songs about apples and harvest.  They are doing a lot of creative movement to music too.  One of their favorites right now is "The Rocket Ship".

2 and 3 Grades
The classes have started learning about the instruments of the Orchestra.  For 3rd grade, this is a review and a more in depth look at the orchestra.
We have read " The Incredible Farkle McBride" by John Lithgow.  I love this book and students enjoy the illustrations.  They always ask me if this is true.

There are some fun websites linked to the story that you can check out.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oM5pmq5nr1Q
https://vimeo.com/44690670

A great website for students to visit is nyphilkids. org, from the New York Philharmonic.
We will be looking at the website during class.

The unit will be concluded with Musical Guests.  Parents who play an instrument and would like to share their gifts just let me know.

4 and 5 Grades



The classes have started their recorder unit.  The curriculum we are using is called Recorder Karate and Recorder Express
Students will earn a belt with each new song they learn.  4th grade will take their recorders home in a few weeks.    Student will need to bring their instrument back to school on Wednesdays.

Please check out Teacher Ease.  I will send information about the Recorder Karate website so students can login to practice and play games on the site.   There is a password to use that can not be posted on this public blog.

Here are some of our recorders ready for use!  The Music room is small, so this year I'm storing the class recorders in backpacks.  I've collected quite a few backpacks from my husband who always brings one home from the various conferences he attends...Now I can put them to good use since our kids are no longer home.

6,7 and 8 Grades

Each year we focus on the Fundamentals of Music.  This year the classes are learning about the aspects of Harmony, creating Chords using the Hand Chimes.  Each class starts off with a rhythm and  melody warmup.  The classes are doing will with "sight reading:  figuring out how the rhythm and the melody sounds.  To reinforce their sense of rhythm and pitch they have enjoyed "The Chocolate Cookie' song and "Sarasponda" adding a rhythm stick routine.

Christmas Concert News!

We will be starting our concert music soon.  Information about the Concert, what to wear, ensemble and solo practices and much more will be posted soon.https://vimeo.com/44690670 

Music at St. Joes

Looking forward to starting a new year at St. Joes.
Music classes will start on Wednesday, August 26.

Students learn the fundamentals of Music and explore the many styles of the genre by singing, playing instruments, creating, discussing, and moving to music.  They also perform in the Christmas Concert and VIP show each year.

Other Music activities for the upper grades include:  Mass Choir, Handbells and Handchimes, Band, and a Variety Show.


I am looking forward to another year at St. Joseph School. 

More Music news coming soon.