Fine Arts Weekly Update
April 26, 2024
Band - Mahacek/Stevison/Tokos
6TH GRADE BAND
The students have been rockin’ their little hearts out in class over the last couple of weeks.
The tunes we are working on currently are coming together, but in order for this Pops Concert to be successful we need one more good push to the end of the year. Students MUST be practicing 30 minutes on these tunes every night.
It’s going to be a great show! Bring your lawn chairs, some beverages, and some popcorn!
Pops Concert - Wednesday, May 15 Practice Field outside Hixson at 6PM - Bring a lawn chair and some popcorn.
Have a great weekend,
Drew Mahacek - mahacek.drew@wgmail.org Joe Stevison - stevison.joe@wgmail.org Emily Tokos - tokos.emily@wgmail.org
7TH/8TH GRADE BAND
Band students have all of their Pops concert music and should be practicing it regularly. Please encourage your child to schedule practice time into their day. Band is way more fun when you are able to play your part!
Our last performance of the year will be our Pops Concert on Wednesday, May 15 at 6:00. Due to Moss Field construction, this concert will take place on the blacktop behind the Hixson gym. This concert will feature the 6th, 7th and 8th grade bands and will last approximately 40 minutes. Please bring a lawn chair.
Upcoming Dates/Events
5/9 - Fine Arts Festival (Wind Ensemble and Jazz Band) - 6:30 PM
5/15 - Pops Concert - 6:00 PM
Click here to view the Handbook for 7th/8th Grade Band
Please email us if you have any questions or concerns,
Joe Stevison - stevison.joe@wgmail.org
Emily Tokos - tokos.emily@wgmail.org
Orchestra: Grubb
*Mrs. Grubb is on maternity leave for the rest of the school year. Please reach out to her long-term sub, Mrs. Susan Nelson, at nelson.susan@wgmail.org if you have any questions or concerns.*
IN CLASS: For the remainder of the school year, students are working in small groups (called ensembles) of 2-5 people. Each group has chosen 2 short songs to practice together, and will perform both songs for their class on Wednesday, May 15th and Thursday, May 16th. It is important that each individual person knows their own part very well in order for the group to sound good together and be successful. This requires students to practice and learn their part at home so when they come to class, the group can work on putting the song together with the different parts. If they can’t play their own part, the group will not be able to stay together and will not be successful. Students will receive participation points for this unit, depending on how well they use their class time and how well they work together as a group.
AT HOME PRACTICE (1 hour per week, minimum): Ensemble Songs
-Mrs. Grubb
INTERMEDIATE ORCHESTRA
*Mrs. Grubb is on maternity leave for the rest of the school year. Please reach out to her long-term sub, Mrs. Susan Nelson, at nelson.susan@wgmail.org if you have any questions or concerns.*
IN CLASS: For the remainder of the school year, students are working in small groups (called ensembles) of 2-5 people. Each group has chosen 2 short songs to practice together, and will perform both songs for their class on Wednesday, May 15th and Thursday, May 16th. It is important that each individual person knows their own part very well in order for the group to sound good together and be successful. This requires students to practice and learn their part at home so when they come to class, the group can work on putting the song together with the different parts. If they can’t play their own part, the group will not be able to stay together and will not be successful. Students will receive participation points for this unit, depending on how well they use their class time and how well they work together as a group.
AT HOME PRACTICE (1.5 hours per week, minimum): Ensemble Songs
-Mrs. Grubb
ADVANCED ORCHESTRA
*Mrs. Grubb is on maternity leave for the rest of the school year. Please reach out to her long-term sub, Mrs. Susan Nelson, at nelson.susan@wgmail.org if you have any questions or concerns.*
IN CLASS: For the remainder of the school year, students are working in small groups (called ensembles) of 2-5 people. Each group has chosen 2 short songs to practice together, and will perform both songs for their class on Wednesday, May 15th and Thursday, May 16th. It is important that each individual person knows their own part very well in order for the group to sound good together and be successful. This requires students to practice and learn their part at home so when they come to class, the group can work on putting the song together with the different parts. If they can’t play their own part, the group will not be able to stay together and will not be successful. Students will receive participation points for this unit, depending on how well they use their class time and how well they work together as a group.
AT HOME PRACTICE (2 hours per week, minimum): Ensemble Songs
-Mrs. Grubb
Choir: Mueller
6TH GRADE CHOIR
6th Grade Choir students have been hard at work preparing for our spring choir concert, which is coming up soon! For any students who need a refresher on their music, there are practice tracks uploaded to our Canvas page.
Below are the details about the choir concert (which is the same information that was emailed last week):
Date of performance: Tuesday, April 23rd, 2024
Location of performance: Hixson Middle School auditorium
Time for students to arrive at school: 6:00-6:10 pm (meeting in the choir room):
Mr. Mueller will be here at 5:30 – students should not arrive any earlier than that.
Start time of performance: 6:30 pm
Concert attire for choir students: Concert black (same as 7th/8th Grade’s large ensemble contest, see emailed handout for more information) – Students should arrive in their concert black clothes.
Approximate run time of concert: One hour (6:30-7:30 pm)
7/8TH GRADE CHOIR
The 7th and 8th Grade choir students have been preparing for our spring choir concert, which is just around the corner! For any students who need a refresher on their music, there are practice tracks uploaded to our Canvas page.
Below are the details about the choir concert (which is the same information that was emailed last week):
Date of performance: Tuesday, April 23rd, 2024
Location of performance: Hixson Middle School auditorium
Time for students to arrive at school: 6:00-6:10 pm (meeting in the choir room):
Mr. Mueller will be here at 5:30 – students should not arrive any earlier than that.
Start time of performance: 6:30 pm
Concert attire for choir students: Concert black (same as 7th/8th Grade’s large ensemble contest, see emailed handout for more information) – Students should arrive in their concert black clothes.
Approximate run time of concert: One hour (6:30-7:30 pm)
Music Discovery - Mueller
In Fifth Period Music Discovery, we have been focusing on rhythm and percussion, and the students have been learning a three-part drum ensemble piece that we played together as a group. Students also have been working on their first Music Discovery project, which is about one of their favorite singers, musicians, or composers. They researched that person and then created a slideshow about that particular musician.
Art: Hannel
VISUAL ART 6
We are well into our clay unit. Students used math to figure out the circumference and height of the mug they will build. These custom mugs incorporate a lot of great handbuilding skills and give students room to be as creative as they want. They had to choose between cylinder and conical forms and this week they used their own templates for cutting the clay. They are adding handles and finishing touches and will finish in the next 2-3 class periods.
See the class syllabus HERE. Contact Mrs. Hannel HERE.
ART 1
We spent time finishing painting and glazing pottery this week. Students have taken turns practicing on our new pottery wheels too! As students finished, they moved into our printmaking unit. Students will be making reduction prints with rubber blocks. It's a great process and kids love the carving!
See the class syllabus HERE. Contact Mrs. Hannel HERE.
ART 2
We have had so much fun in clay, but students have been completing their final clay project this week with paint and glaze. Some students have moved into our printmaking unit. They are making an edition of prints using the reduction process. Their printing blocks are made out of rubber and students are learning how to carve out what does not get the ink.
Drama: Conners
6th Grade Drama Discovery - Drama Discovery students recently started their final drama discovery unit which is our Readers Theater unit. In this final unit, students are expected to collaborate in small groups to write, practice and rehearse readers theater performance skills such as projection, articulation, vocal variety, reading with expression, concentration, facial expressions and gestures in preparation for their final assessment.
Assignments that are due: NO assignments due at this time. All work will be completed in class.
Drama I - Students in Drama I are currently in the process of working on their Fairytale theater unit. In this unit students are working collaboratively with partners to adapt a classic fairytale with a twist. Students are expected to design the set, costumes, props as well as, practice performance skills in preparation for their final assessment.
Assignments due: Please continue to working on script
Drama II - Students in Drama II recently started our short filmmaking unit. In this unit students are learning how to create and write a screenplay in proper format. Students are also expected to act, film and edit their short film as a final assessment.
Homework: Continue working on scripts
FYI- For all drama classes I allow students plenty of time to practice/rehearsal during class. I am reminding students to please use that time wisely during class and any work not completed in class should be worked on at home.
For any questions or concerns please contact Mr. Conners at conners.eric@wgmail.org
Click: 2021/2022 Theater SyllabusContact Us
Mrs. Grubb- grubb.stephanie@wgmail.org
Mrs. Hannel- hannel.jenny@wgmail.org
Mr. Stevison- stevison.joe@wgmail.org
Mrs. Tokos- tokos.emily@wgmail.org
Mr. Mahacek- mahacek.drew@wgmail.org
Mrs. Dickens (Drama Discovery) - dickens.alexandria@wgmail.org
Mr. Davis (Music Discovery) - davis.jaylen@wgmail.org