Congratulations!!

Where to begin....

Every year I am amazed at the incredible things that our scholars accomplish.
And every year I wrestle with finding the balance between

inspiring them, pushing them (and sometimes flat out dragging them) towards the goal of excellence

AND

remembering they are just little humans.

I could write a whole post about about that but I'll save it for another day :)

As I sit here and finally eat my dinner at 10pm, the main thing that I wanted to express is that I am so very thankful. Sure, Mrs. Zimmermann and I put in a lot of time and effort to train our scholars. And YES it is exhausting. But the truth is, these nights could never happen if it weren't for every single faculty member. They gave up their entire evening to wrangle the hyped up kids, comfort the nervous ones, and then make sure to the best of their ability, they get them efficiently back to you.  I am so grateful for their sacrifices as we messed up their schedules to rehearse, threw a bunch of logistics their way, and expected them to jump in to the moment.

No great endeavor can be accomplished alone.

I am also thankful to all of you. Your love and support of your scholars motivates you to walk through these helter-skelter concert days. Getting the kids half concert ready before they even get to school, making sure they have snacks or dinner packed away, leaving work early to rush to pickup, waiting in drive line, just to fly to Higley as soon as you get out of the parking lot.... You are the reason we can celebrate and display their accomplishments. You are the reason we can help them begin to learn in a million small ways that

perseverance is worth it,
a job well done is good for the soul,
we can do hard (and scary) things.

Thank you for allowing your scholars to experience these things last night. Thank you for placing value on Classical education - an education that enables us to share and instill these beautiful virtues.

I can honestly say I felt so much pride and joy last night as you cheered them on.

Here's to a job well done!

To order your DVD, visit:

https://squareup.com/store/liveshows

Winter Concert Logistics

A Note from the Higley Center:

·        Please be patient in the parking lot, and be aware of your surroundings at all times because of the high volume of traffic.

·        Cellphones should be turned off upon entering the auditorium.

·        Please wait until the end of the song to applaud.

·        Late comers will be asked to wait to enter the auditorium until the end of the current song.

·        Out of respect for the performers and the camera crew, please exit to the lobby if your small child is causing a distraction.

·        Food and drink are not allowed in the auditorium.

Families Attending Both Concerts:

• 3^rd – 5^th siblings must be seated with parents during the K-2 concert and vice versa. Groups of students sitting alone will be escorted back to their parents.

• Please, pick up the K-2 students before the 3-5 concert begins and keep your 3-5 students with you until 6:45pm.

• At 6:45pm, 3-5 students must exit and make their way to the back door entrance (See map on Parent Logistics Document).

We Are Almost Ready!

We had our first combined rehearsal in the gym yesterday and 

it went really well!

The students are so excited to share their songs with you. I really enjoyed hearing the entire grade levels sing together for the first time this year!

Information for the Winter Concert

Dear Archway Lincoln Families,

The Winter Concert is coming up!  Here is the information everyone should know:

1.   The concert is MANDATORY – if a student cannot come for an unavoidable reason, their family must inform me TWO WEEKS IN ADVANCE (October 29^th) so they can be given a substitute assignment.  If a student is sick the day of the concert, the family must send a message that day informing me.  If a student does not attend the concert and no explanation is given, they receive a failing grade for the concert.

2.   DRESS CODE: Students must wear black on bottom, white on top.  Black shoes, black pants (black skirt option for girls), black socks/tights, white shirt, a tie for boys (K-2 tie is optional- any color, no pop culture).

3.   Times and Location (please note student call times): Tuesday, November 12^th, 2019

Kindergarten, First, and Second Grades – 5:30 PM

students arrive at 5:00pm

Third, Fourth, and Fifth Grades – 7:00 PM

students arrive at 6:45pm

Higley Center for the Performing Arts

4132 E. Pecos Rd.

Gilbert, AZ 85295

Winter Concert

Quarter 1 is in the books! By now, we have some routines and habits that are helping us to work hard.

Our focus is now shifting to getting everything ready for the Winter Concert. Hopefully, your scholars have come home and at least mentioned it to you. I told them that their "homework" was to go home and recite this to you:

"Hey, remember!

Put it on your calendar:

Tuesday, November 12th.

Concert!"

I have heard a few stories of scholars who did their "homework" and I asked them to show me your faces when they recited it. I saw a lot of hilarious facial expressions. 

Below is the information that Mrs. Zimmerman (3-5 Music) and I would like to communicate. 

Information for the Winter Concert

Dear Archway Lincoln Families,

The Winter Concert is coming up!  Here is the information everyone should know:

1.   The concert is MANDATORY – if a student cannot come for an unavoidable reason, their family must inform me TWO WEEKS IN ADVANCE (October 29^th) so they can be given a substitute assignment.  If a student is sick the day of the concert, the family must send a message that day informing me.  If a student does not attend the concert and no explanation is given, they receive a failing grade for the concert.

2.   DRESS CODE: Students must wear black on bottom, white on top.  Black shoes, black pants (black skirt option for girls), black socks/tights, white shirt, a tie for boys (K-2 tie is optional- any color, no pop culture).

3.   Times and Location (please note student call times): Tuesday, November 12^th, 2019

Kindergarten, First, and Second Grades – 5:30 PM

students arrive at 5:00pm

Third, Fourth, and Fifth Grades – 7:00 PM

students arrive at 6:45pm

Higley Center for the Performing Arts

4132 E. Pecos Rd.

Gilbert, AZ 85295



We are excited to share our music with you!!
See you soon,

September Update

This month we are starting to focus more on our concert songs!
(Winter Concert: Tuesday, November 12th at the Higley Center for the Performing Arts)

Your scholars are starting to imagine what it will be like to be on the stage. We have been talking about Perfect Singing Posture (PSP).  The students know they have to stand up tall, hands at their sides not in their pockets, bouncy knees,  space between their feet, and a smile on their face.

*Conversation starter:  See if your scholar can show you their PSP and tell you about it.

In all the grade levels, we have been learning or reviewing our music vocabulary:



Kindergarten has been having fun with vocal exploration and learning to identify instruments.

*Conversation starter:  See if your scholar can show you how they explore the highs and lows of their voice by drawing a line and performing it for you. (If they don't know what you mean, ask them what they do when Mrs. Boswell lets Oliver the Owl be the teacher)
You can also ask them to sing you the Grizzly Bear song that helps them practice piano and forte.

1st and 2nd grade have been reviewing their rhythms. We have also been practicing the difference between steady beat and rhythm.
The students should be able to identify these notes by their names and the sounds they make


 and use them to create & perform their own patterns.






Our composer this month is the esteemed Johann Sebastian Bach or as we call him in class, Mr. Bach.  I told the students that Mr. Bach was so disciplined that he composed new music at least once a week! He has written so much music that if we put it in one gigantic playlist, it would take over a week to play though everything! My playlist includes the pieces we will be listening to in class, plus a few extra.  Bach Playlist

Curriculum Night [K-2] and Winter Concert Save the Date

K-2 Curriculum Night is Thursday the 15th.


In an effort to save trees, the Specials Team will only have a few hard copies of their curriculum maps. Electronic copies are available on all of our blogs.

The K-2 Music Curriculum Maps are 

on the right hand side of my blog under "Helpful Links".   ⇒

Also, don't forget to save the date!

Concert Attire is white dress shirts and black slacks or black skirt.
More details to follow!


See you Thursday!

August Music Update

We are off to a great start in the music room.

Our scholars have been working heard to learn and practice the music room procedures. 

The music room expectations are on the front wall over my white board. In the beginning of the year, we like to say them together every class to help us have a successful lesson. 

*Conversation starter:  See if your scholar can tell you what they are. They all start with "In this room we..."*

In Kindergarten we have been practicing our 4 voices and learning when to use each of them. 

We have also been marching, dancing and singing. 

*Conversation starter:  See if your scholar can demonstrate their 4 voices*

1st graders get to join the 2nd graders in learning about composers this year!

*Conversation starter: Ask your scholar if they can tell you what a composer is*

 2nd graders have been reviewing their Perfect Singing Posture (PSP) and taking deep breaths when they are singing. 

*Conversation starter: Ask your scholar if they can show you their PSP and how they breathe correctly.*

This month's composer is Mr. Vivaldi. 

Here is my Vivaldi playlist. Vivaldi Playlist

This week we learned that he played the violin and composed The Four Seasons. We will be listening to one season a week. 

*Conversation starter: Ask your scholar which seasons we've listened to so far*

See you Thursday the 15th at curriculum night! 

Meet the Music Teacher

Hello! My name is Rachel Boswell and I am the General Music Teacher for Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade. I am a native of Rochester, NY and a graduate of Roberts Wesleyan College where I completed a B.S. in Music Education. As a member of the Founding Faculty, this will be my fifth year teaching at Archway Lincoln. A few of my hobbies are singing, playing guitar, reading, and hiking.

I am excited to welcome back our young scholars and meet the new additions to our great school. In music class, students will explore and navigate the wonderful world of music! These early years are an essential time in your student’s development to introduce foundational musical concepts. My goal is to provide a rich environment that engages them in singing, playing, listening, creating, performing and responding to music.

 A great way for you to stay up to date on what is happening in the music room is to subscribe to my blog. There is a box on the top right hand of the page for you to enter your email address. Once a month, you will receive an email notification when I have a new post. 

I look forward to our correspondence and a wonderful year ahead.

Sincerely,

Rachel Boswell

rboswell@archwaylincoln.org

ArchwayLincolnMusicK2.blogspot.com

Congratulations!

I wanted to thank everyone for coming out on Thursday night to support our scholars. They have been working hard to bring you such a dynamic program. It was so amazing for me to be able to step back and let them do their thing. This year the idea of independence has really been in the forefront of my mind. I remember telling some of the second graders at the beginning of the year that I wanted them to really take responsibility for their learning. They are my oldest students and I want to give them the opportunity to really take hold of what they are learning. I told them how awesome it would be if by the end of the year, they could come to music class and run the whole thing without me.

Needless to say, they liked that idea.

I am continually amazed at how quickly they can learn things when they set their minds to do it.
We have spent a lot of time talking about perseverance, and doing our best. When things gets hard, that's when we need perseverance to keep going. Because of their efforts and engagement in our day-to-day lessons, they were able to apply so many musical concepts and bring them to life in their performance.

I also have loved being able to give them the "tools" to incorporate music into their play. Teaching these games and then seeing them dance and sing as I walk through the playground has become one of my favorite things.

Have a great weekend!

Concert Etiquette

A Note from the Higley Center:

·        Please be patient in the parking lot, and be aware of your surroundings at all times because of the high volume of traffic.

·        Cellphones should be turned off upon entering the auditorium.

·        Please wait until the end of the song to applaud.

·        Late comers will be asked to wait to enter the auditorium until the end of the current song.

·        Out of respect for the performers and the camera crew, please exit to the lobby if your small child is causing a distraction.

·        Food and drink are not allowed in the auditorium.

Families Attending Both Concerts:

• 3^rd – 5^th siblings must be seated with parents during the K-2 concert and vice versa. Groups of students sitting alone will be escorted back to their parents.

• Please, pick up the K-2 students before the 3-5 concert begins and keep your 3-5 students with you until 6:45pm. 

• At 6:45, 3-5 students must exit and make their way to the back door entrance (see map from Parent Logistics).

Pre-Order Your DVD

Pre-order your DVD of the Spring Concert!

DVDs will be available for purchase 1 for $20 or 2 for $35. 

A portion of  the proceeds will be donated back to our school. 

There will be a table in the lobby of the concert to order it as well. 

Http://store.estheticsinmotion.com

Spring Concert Details

Spring Concert

Greetings Archway Lincoln Parents and Guardians,

Believe it or not, the fourth annual mandatory Archway Lincoln Spring Concert is fast approaching. It will be held on Thursday, April 4^th

at the

Higley Center for the Performing Arts

4132 E. Pecos Road Gilbert, AZ 85295.

The K-2 concert will be 5:30-6:30 p.m. with students arriving at 5:15 p.m.

Attire for concerts is as follows:

Boys: White dress shirt, black pants, black dress shoes, and black socks. Hair should be combed neatly.

Girls: White top, black skirt (black tights optional), or black dress pants, and black dress shoes. Hair should be styled neatly.

Working with your children is a delight and privilege. I look forward to enjoying this beautiful event with you. If you have any questions, please reach out to me at rboswell@archwaylincoln.org

Thank You,

Rachel Boswell

K-2 Music Teacher │Archway Lincoln Classical Academy

https://archwaylincolnmusick2.blogspot.com

February Fun and Spring Concert Save the Date

January seemed like the longest month ever and now that February is here, it is already flying by! We had so much fun last month learning about Mozart, especially his opera, The Magic Flute. The kids really enjoyed hearing some of the arias and experiencing the fairy tale drama of the story.

This month, we will be moving on to Beethoven. The highlights are Moonlight Sonata, Symphony No. 5,  and  Ode to Joy in the context of the 9th Symphony. 

We are continuing to work on our rhythm and melodic sight reading (each grade at their own level) as well as prepare for the Spring Concert. Speaking of that....

Save the date: 
Thursday, April 4th 
at the Higley Center for the Performing Arts



We are also gearing up for Athletic Field Day. I have issued a challenge. On field day, I will wear the color of the class with the most points. The students can earn 1 point per class for completing the lesson with excellence and demonstrating our music room expectations. We did this last year and had a lot of fun with it.

Stay healthy!!!

Happy New Year!

Welcome back!

Winter break was a great time of rest and relaxation.
We enjoyed time at home and with our "Arizona family" up north.





There are a lot of exciting things to look forward to this quarter. We are continuing to work on our ear training, and sight reading, as well as adding some melodic components to our music notation. Soon, will begin diving into our Spring Concert music (April 4th!), and starting our composer study of Mozart. Mozart is always a favorite among students. We talk about what the word prodigy means, and listen to a few famous instrumental pieces (Twinkle variations, and Eine Kleine Nacht Music) and selections from The Magic Flute. I will be reading a kid friendly version of the story and sharing about the art of storytelling through opera. I was not exposed to opera at a young age and did not enjoy it for many years. My hope is that through early exposure and study, the students will grow to appreciate the art form for what it is, even if it never becomes a favorite.
Below is the link to my Mozart Spotify playlist. As usual, there is more music in the playlist than we have time to cover in class but they are some of my favorites. Happy listening!
Mozart Playlist