A Little Spring Music

Each time I post I think I am closer and closer to actually catching up to the current week. Alas, we are just too busy in the Howard Family for me to keep up! It seems like there is something every week...and many things I want to share with all of you. Therefore, please enjoy a Smorgasbord or music performances from this past spring! In order to view the videos please click on the link at the bottom of the post or visit the actual blog site. I have posted two selections from Grant's 8th grade spring concert, Olivia's solo from Cabaret Night May 2011, selections from the group numbers are Cabaret, and a piece from Olivia's 11th grade spring concert. ♫

First up is Grant and the 8th grade chorus singing Heal the World...Grant has a small group solo about halfway through. (if you click the 4 arrows in the bottom rt hand corner you can watch in full screen)

Next is another selection from Grant's 8th grade chorus...with a bonus of his signature hair swish at the beginning of the video!

Each year the high school Vocal Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Band performs at a special event called "Cabaret Night". Audience members sit at cocktail table and are served desserts and coffee throughout the night. Last year Olivia was in both ensembles. Members of Vocal Jazz are offered the opportunity to prepare and perform solos. Olivia worked on this piece with her voice teacher throughout the year and I think it was a perfect choice for this event. It is a song "Mix Tape" from the Broadway musical Avenue Q.

Here's Olivia jamming out in Jazz Band at Cabaret Night...

Below, a sweet redition of Buttercup...Olivia's an alto in the top row.

Lastly, Olivia's choir singing Bridge Over Troubled water

Olivia and Zoey...saxophone buddies at Cabaret Night

Norene and Olivia both part of Vocal Jazz

Two for One All County Concert

(*Editor's Note: if you can't see the videos then you may have to open the blog from it's actual web address. Click on the link at the bottom of your email that says "The Howard Family" or save this web address to your favorites/bookmarks: http://thehowardfamily443.blogspot.com/)


This January both Olivia and Grant were selected to sing with the Wayne County All County Choir!! Grant sang as a Bass in the 7th and 8th Grade choir and Olivia as an Alto in the 9th-12th grade group.

In order to get selected at the Middle School level you must audition for your chorus teacher. At the high school, auditions are completed in the fall. Schools travel to the appointed audition school where students must sing in quartets-a capella, one group at a time in front of an adjudication panel. It is a nerve-wracking experience and often the audition piece is in a foreign language. You are selected individually-not as a quartet. This was the first year that Olivia was selected for the high school choir and she was very happy. Those voice lessons this fall gave her some much needed musical confidence and this year was a great "musical" one! Participating in the RPO choir as well as making it into Vocal Jazz Ensemble were very exciting musical ventures.

It was so nice that both Olivia and Grant sang at the same concert!


Olivia and Grant at All County-Grant's choir sang first and he changed before we had time to snap a photo of them both in Concert Dress!

 I remember how exciting  it was to participate in ensembles like All County. You spend Friday afternoon at another school surrounded by other kids who love to make beautiful music too...all while working with a new conductor, learning fun new warm-ups and usually working on some really cool music. Getting up early on Saturday to travel back to rehearse again before the afternoon concert was even fun-and I am not a morning person! It's also lots of fun to sing with your friends from other schools. Grant and Olivia both have friends throughout the county from dance, sports, theatre etc. and it makes the weekend fun. Or you could end up sitting next to someone crazy/funny/annoying/interesting...which always makes for a fun story!

Below are two selections from Grant's choir. He was waaaay up on the top row because he was singing Bass. I tried to zoom in on him!

Grant on the top row as a Bass!

Here is a quick selection from Ching-a-ring Chaw (Aaron Copland, arr. Fine)-Grant liked the funny lyrics...



And now for a little swing! Here is It Don't Mean a thing if it Ain't Got That Swing (Ellington/Mills):

 
Here's Olivia in the high school group.

I was so excited to read in the program that the Senior High group was singing Mozart's Lacrymosa from Requiem, K, 626. I sang it freshman year of high school and I love the haunting melody!

Here is a more upbeat selection: The William Tell Overture (Rossini, arr. Eschliman) The kids really loved the fun Choir-ography...!

Mom, Dad and I really enjoyed listening to the concert especially because BOTH Olivia and Grant were in it! Hope you also enjoyed the selections above!