Concert Music Choices

It's concert week!

This means I have concerts for the next two nights and then I get to breath a little bit.  I have a couple of groups who are completely ready and at least one that I'm still nervous about.

I really like the music I've picked for this semester and that doesn't always happen.  There have definitely been performances where I felt that I NEVER wanted to hear the songs again, I seem to have done a better job of that this year.  Middle school music is tough to choose.  The kids want to sing mostly pop and I want them to sing very little of it.  It's always a struggle to find a balance between keeping them motivated and choosing quality pieces with the musical elements that I want to teach.  8th graders are the most difficult and have the least issue with sharing their view on what they do (and do NOT) want to sing.  They don't always understand that chorus is a class with objectives and learning goals...many think it's a "free period."  Drives me crazy. 

 I've promised the kids a couple of Karaoke days post-concert to sing all the music they would choose if they could and I think that this will be an appropriate post-concert celebration for them...one I go through the lyrics for all of the songs they've suggested!

2 down

and 2 to go!  My first two performing groups sang last night and were fantastic!!  I wrote recently that teaching music is often about more than the music.  Last night it was totally about the singing and the music!  2 more tonight and then I'll be done with performances for school until this spring.

On another happy note, I sang my last performance for the season Sunday night.  Yay!!!  It really did go very well and my mom came with me which is always fun.  She hadn't seen this season's program and I love having her in the audience. 

I'm already in rehearsals for this spring's concerts with one group and I'm sure SWE won't be far behind.  We were already talking about our two upcoming performances at Sunday's concert.  We're doing one "regular" concert and an opera night fundraiser.  I'm kind of excited about those and now it's time to start thinking about an aria or two...