Mrs. O'Neill-Delano

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Posted: April 28, 2020

Here are videos demonstrating the first two keyboard instruments we are studying as part of our orchestra unit: the clavichord and the celesta. Have a look and a listen.

Clavichord- Super old instrument. Invented in the 1400's. It sounds like a string instrument. Can you figure out why? Here is a sample of this instrument:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RMqyJvLc2g. You may recognize this piece of music as "Greensleeves" or a popular Christmas carol "What Child is This"

Celesta- https://www.youtube.com/watch? The celesta was invented in the 1800's. This video is neat because you can see the hammer action when keys are being played. Here are two really famous pieces of music on celesta that you will recognize:This first one is from Tchaikovsky's ballet-The Nutracker; Dance of the Sugar Plumb Fairy.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRUn7BntLok   The next one is from the Harry Potter movie; Hedwig's Theme? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3ipE2VhfY4

Posted: April 27, 2020

Good morning everyone. I hope you had a relaxing weekend and were able to spend some time listening to Benjamin Britten's "Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra". For the next few days I want to focus on the keyboard instruments.Technically, the keyboards can be part of the percussion family since a hammer (which is an extension of the key) hits a string inside the piano. Remember, a percussion instrument is anything we hit, strike or shake to produce a sound. Let's look at how keyboard instruments evolved or changed over the centuries. Tomorrow, I will post videos that demonstrate the keyboard instruments. For today you can take a look at this website I am providing below. Read the short intro of the following keyboards; celesta, clavichord, harpsichord, organ, pianoforte and piano.There is a brief explanation of each keyboard and a sound byte. Please note on the website, they don't have a proper pic of the pianoforte. Not sure why? They show a grand piano twice. Look for my sample posts tomorrow. Here is the website:https://www.classicsforkids.com/music/instruments.php?family=Keyboard. Click on "keyboards" then scroll down on screen until you see the celesta. 

Posted: April 23, 2020

Hope everyone had a good week. I am posting a video of a piece of music that reviews every instrument in each of the 4 families of the orchestra. This is a great way to test your knowledge. It is called "A Young  Person's Guide to the Orchestra" by Benjamin Britten. He composed this as a teaching tool to help kids learn about the orchestra. Lots of great close ups of the various instruments. Have a listen to this over the weekend. Here is the link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbVRn3q3fEw. More info to follow next week.

Posted: April 20, 2020

I hope everyone had a good weekend. Last week I mentioned I would continue to post videos we looked at while studying the various instrument families, (cause I know you're missing watching these videos!) Here is a link to The Canadian Brass playing a beautiful piece of music; "Quintet" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjBT8ElQ7Pw. We sure didn't sound that nice on the French horn when we all tried playing the instrument! A lifetime of practice brought these players to this point. As with anything; practice makes perfect (or as close as we can get to perfection). 

This past week I asked you to look at the posted website where you see the instruments in the percussion family. Hve a look at this link: This is a good one to start with since it features both the brass family and a few percussion instruments: the timpani (kettle drums) the bass drum and crash cymbals. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLMVB0B1_Ts.  This next video features the mallet instruments. Can you recognize which of the mallet instruments this guy is playing? Stay Tuned!   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ix-QW-BShPY

 

Posted: April 14, 2020

We will continue to review string-woodwind and brass families. I will post videos from time to time of music we listened to from these instrument family units. I would also like to move on and introduce the various instruments in the Percussion Family: Percussion instruments are grouped into two categories: Pitched (they can play an actual music pitch) and Non Pitched (they play a particular sound). If you are interested- You can 1. Click on the link below 2. Click on Learn and Listen 3. Click on Instruments 4. Scroll down to Percussion Family  5. Click on the first instrument and read the info provided. 6. Click on the image  7. Click on the music box  8. Click on the play icon and you will hear a very short sound byte. 9. Click on the rif icon just below the sound byte. You will hear a very short music rif(passage) of the instrument.

Here is the link: https://www.mydso.com/dso-kids/learn-and-listen/instruments. Have fun with this and I'll post some nice videos soon that feature the percussion family. Have a great day. TTYL!

Grade 6H- I trust the Easter Bunny found everyone this weekend? I am posting this video for your enjoyment. This is a duet featuring a violin and viola player. At 1:54 pause the video and you can clearly see that the viola is larger than the violin. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_YrGjSwowQ  (and if you're wondering?- the viola player, Richard O'Neill is of no relation to me!)  Do you remember other distinct differences between these two instruments? These two young men are very gifted musicians. Share this with your parent or even a pet! I know my cat used to love to listen to the great composer, Beethoven! Tomorrow-I will add more information for the week. Stay Tuned! Remember this is not mandatory work. 

Posted: April 9, 2020

Here are a few videos to enjoy over the weekend. Have a Happy Easter and don't eat too much chocolate!

Gr. 6H- From the woodwind family we have our favorite sax player-Kenny G playing

"The Moment" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=447yaU_4DF8. I also attached another video from music class just below:

"Gabriel's Oboe" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WJhax7Jmxs. 

Do you notice how similar these two instruments sound even though the sax is a single reed and the oboe is a double reed instrument? This is a really beautiful piece of music which also highlights the string family. Enjoy and share with your family. 

Gr. K-5- Here is a fun movement video you can do with your family!

Have fun with "Get Funky"  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGrnC1K3D7c

General Message for All Students:- Hi everyone. I hope you and your family are doing well during this time. I miss you terribly and look forward to returning to school to make music with everyone. I know I don't have to tell you this, but music is the absolute best thing ever! (although chocolate milk is a close second!). I am hoping everyone is listening-singing- or watching music videos during this time. I am working out of my basement with just a laptop at my disposal. I have my guitar but no piano. Really missing my piano. If any Grade 7s or 8s have a guitar at home and have questions-just pop me an email and I will help you. Try your hand at writing song lyrics. I can definitely help with that. We can put your lyrics to music on the guitar. 

Grades k-5 - I will be posting music videos from time to time for your interest. Stay "Tuned"! Hopefully you are listening and/or singing and dancing and shaking your butt to music every day!! I know some of the grade 5 students have a recorder at home. That is great but please remember-you only have to blow with enough force to move a tissue. Anything more produces a harsh, shrill sound that can harm your parent's ears! 

Grade 6H- In your free time maybe you could look up our favorite artists on youtube demonstrating the instruments we have studied to date. (Remember Kenny G? or those two cutie pies playing the viola and violin duet?) The final instrument group we will look at is the Percussion family-which will also include the keyboard instruments. This will not be mandatory work. I will go over all of this again next year. Just something to do in your free time. Your parent(s) can pop me an email if you have questions. By the way, hold on to those new duo-tangs that I was harping about! You will need them for next year-I promise!!  

Take care everyone. We will be in contact very soon. 

Posted: February 17, 2020

Congratulations to the Grade 6J class who did an amazing job hosting our Flag Day ceremony. Our special guests were so impressed with your effort. Lead singers; Regan Traer, Kenzie Hilchey and Sidney Jardine along with the entire school sang "O Canada" English and French version to perfection. Our soloists, Hunter Durelle, Lachlyn Craik and Isabella Breau gave a beautiful performance of "God Bless You Canada" as did the student chorus. Our grade 2 comedians also did a great job delivering their jokes. Thanks to Cayden Comeau for editing the Flag Day promo video. Yet again, another job well done by Nelson Rural students.

Posted: December 5, 2019

Our videos are now posted on the CBC youtube channel. You will see the Grade 6-7-8 video, The Grade 4 classes with the grade 3-4 immersion classe and the Grade 2-3 group. You may have to subscribe to the CBC youtube channel. Will see if we can just copy the link so everyone can enjoy our performances and hopefully give us a thumbs up!!

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Added: Fri, Feb 16 2024
Grade 4-5 Donavan Christmas Recitation
Grade 8 Exploratory Guitar Group
Christmas Concert Grade 5 Tucker