Happy Birthday Star Spangled Banner

Last week we sang and played along to the Star Spangled Banner.  This year is the Star Spangled Banner's 200th birthday.  It was written in 1814 by Francis Scott Key.

"The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States. The lyrics come from "Defence of Fort M'Henry",^[1] a poem written in 1814 by the 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet Francis Scott Key after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry by British ships of the Royal Navy in the Chesapeake Bay during the Battle of Fort McHenry in the War of 1812.

The poem was set to the tune of a popular British song written by John Stafford Smith for the Anacreontic Society, a men's social club in London.

If you want some more information about the National Anthem here is a video giving some history.    

This week in class we are singing parts to Ding-a-Ding and adding an ostinato to Hotaru Koi.  If you want to work on part singing with Ding-a-Ding on your own play the CD, begin singing with it, keep singing that first part through the whole song.  When this gets easy pick one of the other parts and sing it the whole time you listen to the song.  There are a lot of repeated parts to try!





Here are our dance songs from last week and this week.

Ostinatos, Call and Response, and Suggested Books

Tomorrow begins the third week of Fall classes.  Here are a few things we have already accomplished this session!  Week one we sang ostinatos (a repeated melody or rhythm) along with the Canoe Song and Train is A Comin.  I encourage you to continue to sing these with your CD and then with other family members this session.
The Canoe Song ostinato is, "Dip, dip, and swing."  After you hear it on the recording just keep on singing it while the recording sings the other part.
The Train is A Comin ostinato is, "Chugga Chugga Chugga Chugga Choo Choo."  You also hear this on the recording.

Last week we did a call and response with Train is A Comin.  I sang, "Train is a comin" and you responded, "Oh yes!"  I encourage you to try this.  Call and see what your child responds with.  It may not be the exact words, but they will quickly learn to respond with the correct pitches.  If this song is not familiar yet try a call and response with something you already sing a lot.  Maybe twinkle twinkle little _____.  Wait for that last sound from your child!

We also looked at a fun book put out by Music Together last week, Ridin in the Car.  Music Together has several wonderful books to go along with songs now.  You can enjoy them on their YouTube channel and purchase them at musictogether.com.  

Over the past two weeks we have also begun to put different beats in our feet.  We have done a lot of tip toeing!  Last week we tip toed to Walking in The Woods.  The week before was the Can Can.  You can enjoy tip toeing, wiggling, and kicking to the Can Can at home by clicking on the link below.