Hello Lowell Community. If we haven't met, I'm Anthony Spano and I've taught music here at Lowell for over 17 years. I hope to be preparing these newsletters on a regular basis to update you on what we've done, are doing, and will be doing in your child's music classes. Please feel free to email me with any questions or comments:

anthony.spano@watertown.k12.ma.us

Continuing a tradition that started last year, we are asking students who participate in our performing arts ensembles (chorus, band, orchestra) to purchase a Watertown Performing Arts t-shirt. The shirts will be worn at all performances like a concert uniform, but can also be worn whenever and by whomever to show support for our amazing program. Shirts are $10 and come in many different sizes. Paper forms are being sent home with our 4th and 5th graders all this week, but please click here for more information if you'd like to purchase or donate a shirt.

For November, our musician of the month is the Canadian Indigenous singer, Jeremy Dutcher. Jeremy is a member of the Tobique First Nation of Maritime Canada. He lives in New Brunswick. A Juno-winning musician, Jeremy blends his indigenous language Wolastoqey with classical vocals and western instruments.

Click here for more information on this musician.

Students in grades 4 and 5 can participate in our Lowell chorus. In chorus, we focus on diaphragmatic breathing, balance, diction/enunciation, and rudimentary harmony including part singing, round, and 2-part harmony.

If your child is participating and you haven't yet officially signed them up, you can do so here.

So far in rehearsals we've been doing simple warmups using the major scale and three songs which can be found here:

Joshua Fit the Battle - traditional African American spiritual

Something to Believe In - Kesha

Ram Sam Sam - traditional Moroccan