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Monday, November 28, 2011

Looking forward...

to seeing all of my students this week! 
Feels like forever since I last saw you!


Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Performance at Forge Park

Jefferson Student Council did a great job singing for the seniors at
Forge Hill Assisted Living Center in Franklin, MA.


Very proud of their performance today!

So great to see my classes at DT today!

Finally got to see my general music classes at DT!
We missed the last two Tuesdays due to weather and PDD!
4th graders FINALLY got to begin playing the recorders!
2nd graders explored form through this classic tune:


Bruce Springsteen's version of "Old Dan Tucker!"


Instrument of the Week!

The Accordion!



Also known as a Squeezebox!

Here's more info about this instrument:


Can you find any songs that feature it?


Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Recorder Heaven...

A few years ago, my 4th grade students and I performed an arrangement I had made
of the rock classic song, "Stairway To Heaven," by the rock band Led Zeppelin.

I just learned that the album that that song is from, Led Zeppelin IV, is 40 years old today!

On that particular song, written by guitarist Jimmy Page and singer Robert Plant,
multi-instrumentalist John Paul Jones, typically the band's bass player and keyboardist,
arranged and performed all the recorder parts that can be heard in the intro to the song!

Please have a listen, and try to identify not only the recorder, but all four parts!


A Great Day at JFK!

I had a great PDD at JFK Elementary School in Blackstone, MA!
Observed Erik James' music classes and really enjoyed the experience!
Huge thanks to Erik James, as well as principal Carol Brown, for having me!



D.T. Daze...

Second week of missing my General Music classes at Davis Thayer!
Can't wait to catch up (and get caught up) with them next week!



Saturday, November 5, 2011

Give Me The Banjo

Who knew?

The banjo was the Instrument of the Week...

And then it was featured last night on PBS!!!

Too cool...



And here's the link to the entire program:


Enjoy!

And have a great weekend!

Mr. Barrett ;-)

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Instrument of the Week!

It's not a guitar! It's not a violin, either!


It's a BANJO!

Here are some of my favorite songs that feature this instrument:



Pete Seeger's "The Foolish Frog"



And Pete Seeger's "Abiyoyo!"



Earl Scruggs!



Taylor Swift's "Mean"



Three great banjo players!
(Steve Martin, Tony Trishka, & Béla Fleck)



Béla Fleck & The Flecktones!



Béla Fleck with his banjo on Sesame Street!


Tuesday, November 1, 2011

No school (again) today...

But we'll be back to school tomorrow (thankfully!)!

So sorry to miss all of my DT students this week!


Pick-A-Little, Talk-A-Little

We had fun exploring Partner Songs as part of our unit on Harmony in 4th grade,
and focusing on this song (from The Music Man) in particular: