Updates for March 28th

It's time for an update, to make sure that we're all on the same page with everything at school, in all classes, bands, choirs, etc. Here we go!

- All band practice charts for March are due BEFORE the Easter break. Please have them to me, with your minutes totalled at the top and a parent or guardian signature, by Wednesday, April 4th @ 3:30pm

- We have been joined by several of our Japanese students in senior music classes. In Senior Choir we have been working on the Japanese children's folk song, Hotaru Koi. I would like to look at Seasons of Love shortly in Senior Choir... stay tuned (no pun intended).

- Jazz Choir is working on Can You Feel the Love Tonight from The Lion King, in 4-part SSAA a cappella. It will be beautiful! And, for something completely different, get ready for a toe-tappin', knee slappin' good time with our newest piece, The Pop Bottle Hoedown. Yeehaw!

- IP 20/30 is submitting our Work2Live and SaskEnvironment video contest submissions before the Easter break. We will be putting them onto a DVD (using the iDVD program) next class so that we can mail them with the release forms, etc. before their respective deadlines (April 20th for Work2Live and April 29th for SaskEnvironment).

- IP 10 will be beginning a new project today.... the long-awaited MUSIC VIDEO! This will be a major project and will take several classes to complete. Given the time allotted to this assignment, it will also be worth a substantial portion of this term's grade. It's also going to be a lot of fun - and of course, there will be a "movie night" at the end of it all!

- Computers 9I are compiling the video footage for their news broadcast, which is due on Monday, April 23rd. We have had many class periods to plan, film, and edit this project, so no extensions will be permitted (unless extenuating circumstances require one, in which case, see me to make a plan).

- We have been doing some African drumming in Music classes this week. Rivier students have got rhythm! Our theory classes will turn into African drumming classes as we get closer to the end of the school year. That being said, those that have theory to do will need to use that time to complete all assignments and quizzes before the final June report card. Stay tuned for an African drumming ensemble sign-up sheet for the final concert!

- Rivier is in charge of putting together a choir for the Celebration of Life mass on Friday, April 20th (evening). I will be there to sing and play the piano, and I need as many of you with me as possible. It is a great opportunity to represent our school and our music program, and our talents are always so appreciated by everyone. There will also be a pizza party for all singers who are involved in this mass..... added bonus! I will be posting a sign-up sheet on my homeroom door asap.

- We (the IP 20/30 class and I) are looking for yearbook photos from ALL grade levels. We want candid shots of you and your friends and classmates, either on the outside school grounds or in the classroom, hallways at lunch, etc. If you want to be represented in the yearbook, please submit photos to us asap! We will do our best to represent everyone, but it is difficult to do without the help of the student body.

- Computers 8M is almost finished the photo editing unit. Soon it will be time to develop our photo editing e-portfolio by compiling our best work into an iMovie presentation, complete with titles, transitions, and background audio. When this assignment is complete we will be having a "movie night" class where we can see each other's work (maybe we'll even watch the iMovies that you made in Grade 7 Computers class that we ran out of time to watch!).

- Just a reminder that Parent-Teacher Interviews are tonight (Wednesday) from 4-7pm and tomorrow (Thursday) from 4-6pm. There are no interviews on Friday!

- Choral/Vocal Jazz 30 - there has been talk about doing a Grade 12 number for the final concert. At this point it is looking like "For Good" from Wicked. I may have a lead on an SSA version so that we can get a bit of extra harmony in there vs. the duet music that I have currently. We will work out a time to get together and learn it. It shouldn't take long at all.

- I will not be here on Friday, so Mrs. Moon is subbing for me. Choral 10/20/30, she will be teaching the music for Celebration of Life with you during your 3rd period rehearsal. Please consider signing up for the mass. I know it is a Friday evening which is a lot to ask, but your leadership and talents are so appreciated. (Plus, free pizza!) :o)

Whew! Lots to think about. I'm glad we are getting things organized. We only have a couple days left until Easter break! Time is really flying by. Before you know it, we'll be tightening up loose ends for our June concert, and then it will be Grad.... YIKES!

I'm thinking about an "Around the World" theme for our final concert. What do you think? So far we have:

- 3 Russian Folk Songs (Russia, of course!) - Senior Choir

- Pop Bottle Hoedown / Can You Feel the Love Tonight (USA) - Jazz Choir

- O'Leary's Ceili Band (Ireland) - Senior Band

- Walkabout (American swing jazz) - Level 3 Band

- Sakura, Sakura (?) (Japanese folk song) - Level 1 Band

- Cha Cha Del Sol (Spanish) - Level 2 Band

- African drums (Africa, of course!) - Various students

- Hotaru Koi (Japanese children's folk song) - Senior Choir

- Seasons of Love (American Broadway) - Senior/Jazz Choir

- The Steppes of Russia (Russian folk) - Senior Band

- The Happy Wanderer/Val-de-ree (USA) - Senior Band

- She's Like the Swallow (Canada) - Chandra, Quinn, Rebecca, Miss Campbell

- Prayer of the Norwegian Child (Norway) - Cassidy and Shea

This could be a lot of fun! Your thoughts? Any song suggestions?

*Edit* - I just thought of some more good ideas. O Canada for band (any level), plus possibly Pokarekare Ana (New Zealand) for any number of voices. It's easy, I've taught it to most of the senior students already (3-4 years ago, mind you), and it's a song near and dear to my heart, as I learned it when I was teaching on my internship in NZ in 2007. Also, when I was interning and singing with the Wellington Youth Choir, I did a really cool arrangement of O Canada with God Defend New Zealand, their national anthem. I arranged them as partner songs, meaning that they're both sung at the same time.... AND it would give us an opportunity to sing in the Maori language! That might be kind of cool for senior choir I'm thinking.

So many ideas! :o)

When You Believe

Check it out - our Rivier girls are on the big stage! This photo was taken during our performance at 6:30am, after our very late night of camping out at the Science Centre. While at the Science Centre we watched an IMAX 3D movie, dissected pig hearts, tackled the rock climbing wall, explored the exhibits, and took part in a static electricity stage show. So neat! We got to bed around midnight and then woke up at 4:30.... It was a very early morning, but so worth it in the end. Thank you to everyone who made it possible! (Click the photo below to enlarge it)

"Many nights we've prayed with no proof anyone could hear.

In our hearts, a hopeful song we barely understood.

Now we are not afraid, although we know there's much to fear.

We were moving mountains long before we knew we could.

There can be miracles when you believe.

Though hope is frail, it's hard to kill.

Who knows what miracles you can achieve?

When you believe, somehow you will.

You will when you believe.

In this time of fear, when prayer so often proved in vain,

Hope seemed like the summer birds, too swiftly flown away.

Yet, now I'm standing here with heart so full I can't explain,

Seeking faith and speaking words I never thought I'd say.

There can be miracles when you believe.

Though hope is frail, it's hard to kill.

Who knows what miracles you can achieve?

When you believe, somehow you will.

You will when you believe.

Ashira l'Adonai, ki ga oh ga ah.

Ashira l'Adonai, ki ga oh ga ah.

Micha mocha baelim Adonai.

Micha mocha ne dar bakodesh.

Na chi ta v'chas d'cha. Am zu ga alta.

Na chi ta v'chas d'cha. Am zu ga alta.

Ashira, ashira, ashira.

There can be miracles when you believe.

Though hope is frail, it's hard to kill.

Who knows what miracles you can achieve?

When you believe, somehow you will.

Now you will.... You will when you believe."

F Sharp

Alright you music people! Listen to this, have a good laugh, and try not to cry at the dissonance! Such a great find today - see you tomorrow!

I hope you all had a great weekend. My weekend was full of alphabet photography (stay tuned!), and a great experience of singing with a group of you lovely people at Sacred Heart for mass this morning. Thank you to those of you who were there to share the gift of music with everyone. Your service is very much appreciated!

Also, in mostly unrelated news (although still on the topic of music.... surprise, surprise!), check out this SUPER cool group that Brenna pointed out to me. Apparently when they got together they could only afford one guitar, and necessity is the mother of invention, after all!

525,600 minutes....

Dear Jazz Choir,

This song is fantastic. Please listen to it and fall in love with it, and its fantastic energy and interesting rhythms and harmonies. We are singing it at today's rehearsal, as my new set of music just came in!

With (seasons of) love,

Miss Campbell :o)

Welcome back!

Hi everyone! Welcome back to Semester 2. I hope you had a great break during semester turnaround and that you're ready to get started with new and wonderful projects in Term 2.

On the music side of things, please remember to bring your instruments for band again as we will be back into rehearsals starting today. That being said, Level 1 and 2 bands will be singing instead of playing today (I'm teaching you the new settings of the music for the mass - Gloria, Memorial Acclamation, Amen, Lamb of God). Level 4 will be rehearsing in the dining hall.

Computers 9I, your first assignment is to complete either a timetable of your Semester 2 subjects or a Bathroom Reader (for any month, as this is a practice trial run of creating one in Microsoft Word or Pages). Our assigned months will be April and June.

Rivier is responsible for the music ministry at the 11:00am mass this Sunday, January 29th at Sacred Heart Cathedral. Please sign up to sing - it will take about an hour, and will be so appreciated by everyone (especially me). You can use this time as service hours too, which is an added bonus for your Christian Ethics classes! Rehearsals for this choir will be today, tomorrow, and Thursday (as needed) at 12:00pm in the music room. Instruments are welcome too - djembe, violin, etc.

Sound of Music rehearsals are getting very intensive now, so it's very important that every cast member is present at all rehearsals. If you must miss a rehearsal, it is your responsibility to inform one of the directors with as much advance notice as possible so that we are not wondering where you are when rehearsal time comes. Thank you for your understanding in this matter. We have 2 weeks until the show opens, and lots of work to be done between now and then! Time to pull up those knee-high forest green socks! :o)

Concert reminders

Call times:

Level 1/2 Band - 6:30pm

Level 3 Band/Orchestra 10/20/30 - 6:45pm

Senior Choir/Level 4 Band - 7:30pm

Jazz Choir - 7:45pm

Warm-up rooms:

Level 1 Band - Mrs. Ikert's homeroom

Level 2 Band - Miss Tilford's homeroom

Level 3 Band - Ms. Khan's homeroom

Level 4 Band - Mrs. Orieux's homeroom

Orchestra 10/20/30 - Miss Campbell's homeroom

Senior Choir/Jazz Choir - Mr. Jalbert's classroom

Uniform:

Formal uniform on top (vest, tie, etc.) with black pants, black shoes, and dark socks. Feel free to "don your gay apparel" (aka Christmas accessories, Santa hats, elf shoes, reindeer antlers, etc.) to liven up the atmosphere. We will remove all hats for choir/jazz choir, but bands are fair game!

Program order:

Level 1 Band

Grade 7 trio

Level 2 Band

Level 3 Band

Orchestra 10/20/30

**** INTERMISSION ****

Senior Choir

Level 4 Band

Senior Choir/Jazz Choir

Jazz Choir finale

Christmas caption fail

So fantastic! Please let's do this sometime, choir and jazz choir ladies!

Christmas concert and other performances

Hi ladies and gents of the Rivier Music Department! 'Tis the season for a fantastic number of opportunities to get out there and perform for the public. Here's a run down of our performances and the info you'll need to make sure everything runs smoothly:

Friday, December 9th @12-12:20pm - Choirs - Christmas at City Hall (Arthur will accompany us - program includes "Christmas Lullaby" and "Joyful, Joyful," as well as some of our traditional Christmas carols. Wear black pants and uniform on top, and dress warm as we will be walking from the Rawlinson and then back to the school afterwards).

Monday, December 12th @ 8-8:30pm - Choirs - Rotary Club Christmas party (Arthur will be here as well so we will sing our regular concert program - even Carol of the Child if I can figure out a good way to get the handbells there. Full formal uniform please - kilt if possible, or black pants if it's too cold outside, but definitely vest, tie, and black shoes. )

Wednesday, December 14th @ 7:00pm - RIVIER ACADEMY CHRISTMAS CONCERT (I will post more info early in the week, but each band will be assigned to a homeroom as their "warm up/tuning" room - choir and jazz choir will share a room, as will all orchestra groups. The dress code is formal uniform with black pants, and any Santa hats, elf shoes, reindeer antlers, etc. that you wish to toss in for extra "festive flair.")

Friday, December 16th @ 11:00am - Choirs carolling for the Srs. of the Presentation (This is during Choral 10/20/30 class time so you will already be in uniform. If you are in jazz choir and you do not have to write a test or you have a class that you can miss and get caught up in, you are welcome and encouraged to join us

Monday, December 19th @ 10:30-11:30am - Choirs carolling at Mont St. Joseph (Again, this is during Choral class time. We will be in uniform and will just be singing carols out of our books. Jazz choir should come if possible as well.)

Wednesday, December 21st @ 10-10:30am - Choirs carolling at Pineview (Same deal as Mont St. Joe's. Jazz choir is welcome and encouraged to attend as well.)

What a crazy and wonderful season of music!

IP 10 ticket design assignment

Dance ticket information:

"Miracle Masquerade"

Rivier Academy Gym - 1405 Bishop Pascal Place

November 25th, 2011

8:00-11:00pm

Tickets $10 each

Chemical-free

Snack and drink items for sale on-site

Please come in masquerade costume

Rivier Academy Trade Show info

The choir/jazz choir are hosting a trade show at Rivier Academy (in the library) on Saturday, December 3rd. IP 10 class, we will be making posters today that we can print to advertise around the community. The following information must be included:

Rivier Academy Trade Show (title prominently displayed on the poster please)

Saturday, December 3rd, 2011

10:00am-4:00pm

Rivier Academy Library - 1405 Bishop Pascal Place, Prince Albert, SK (please use 15th St. doors)

No gate fee

Rivier choirs will be Christmas carolling from 12:00-1:00pm

All proceeds go towards funding the Rivier Choir & Jazz Choir's trip to Telemiracle 36 in Regina - March 3rd-4th, 2012

Featuring: Local craft, beauty, food, accessory, and clothing vendors, a "bake walk" (mix and match to select the baking of your choice; pay per pound of baking), chili lunch, raffle prizes, and a silent auction

Search Google images for high-resolution (large) photos to use on your poster. Classic Christmas photos may be the best choice, but it is up to your artistic discretion. Before you hand in your posters to the IP 10 drop box, have a classmate or two proofread it first.

Thanks for your help!

Reminders re: tomorrow's Telemiracle audition

Hi ladies! Just a few reminders for tomorrow morning:

1. If you signed up to bring your own scarf, please remember to bring it when you come to the school. If you signed up to bring extras, please be sure you do as we are depending on them!

2. Wear all black, from head to toe. This includes black shoes, and if you choose to wear socks, please be sure they are black (or so dark that I won't be able to tell the difference). All black shirts must have sleeves - tank tops don't cut it (plus, it's way too cold for tank tops anyway... did you see the snow today?!).

3. Bring a water bottle, as I want you all to be hydrated and healthy before our audition.

4. Aim to be at the school at 9:45am. Our bus leaves at 10:00am.

5. If you are meeting us at the audition site (Bethlehem HS), we will see you there at 12:20pm. Our audition is at 12:55pm.

6. Pack a lunch, as we are not stopping anywhere on the way there or back. NO NUT PRODUCTS please, as we do have severe allergies in our choir.

That should about cover it. I'm excited! I just listened to the recording we made on Friday and I have a few suggestions that I will go over with the group tomorrow, but overall we are sounding great! See you tomorrow!

Choir/Jazz Choir Telemiracle rehearsal/audition info

Senior/Jazz Choir is auditioning for Telemiracle this Sunday in Saskatoon. Our bus leaves the Bishop Pascal doors at 10:00am, so please be here by 9:45 so that we don't leave without you! Our audition is at 12:55pm, and we will be back on the bus for PA by 1:30pm.

YOUR WAIVER FORMS AND BUS MONEY ($10) ARE DUE TODAY!!! Please hand everything in to Mrs. Bonneau at the office.

Jazz Choir will rehearse today at 11:40 to make up for our lost rehearsal on Friday (due to our noon lunch "taco in a bag" fundraiser). We will also need to call at least one more rehearsal this week, possibly during a senior choir rehearsal time, which would require you to be pulled from class. Stay tuned (no pun intended)!

Senior Choir singing tests will start today in P.4, and they will be very brief so that we can get through as many as possible in one class. We will need to use the rest of our rehearsals for "When You Believe" so that we are feeling confident for our Telemiracle audition.

I am very close to choosing soloists for "Joyful, Joyful." I am still undecided on soloists for "When You Believe" so the solo may become a small group soli, or I may ask a select few of you to sing for me again.

Music Department testing - October 2011

Music Testing October 2011

Level 1 Band

Dates: Mon. Oct. 24^th if ready (during theory) / Tues. Oct. 25^th / Thurs. Oct. 27 (only if needed)

Songs: #12 – The First Flight / #14 – Rolling Along

Level 2 Band

Dates: Wed. Oct. 26^th / Thurs. Oct. 27^th

Songs: Excerpts from rhythm Studies (from 1^st of 2 pages) / Morning Mood

Level 3 Band

Dates: 9(3) – Thurs. Oct. 20^th if ready (during theory) / 8(3) – Fri. Oct. 21^st if ready (during theory) / Everyone Mon. Oct. 24^th (during rehearsal) / Tues. Oct. 25^th

Songs: Short excerpts from Air and Allegro / 3 Canadian Folk Songs

Level 4 Band

Dates: Tues. Oct. 25^th / Thurs. Oct. 27^th / Fri. Oct. 28^th (during theory) if needed

Songs: Short excerpts from Steppes of Russia / Themes from the Nutcracker

Choral 10-20-30

Dates: Mon. Oct. 24^th, Tues. Oct. 25^th

Songs: Excerpts from 3 Russian Folk Songs / When You Believe

Jazz Choir

Dates: Fri, Oct. 21^st

Songs: Excerpts from Joyful, Joyful

Music updates

Jr. Choir members needing to refresh memory work on "Early One Morning" and "Fare Thee Well, Love" please meet me in the music room at 12:15 today for a brief rehearsal.

Jazz Choir, if you need extra help with choreography before the concert (tomorrow at 7pm) I will be available after school for as long as we need. Remember that we also scheduled an extra rehearsal on Thursday at 11:40 to make sure the choreography is in place, especially for the 30s who missed 1-2 rehearsals due to retreat and other reasons. Also, please remember to track down your costumes for our first number, as we don't want any last-minute scrambles to get things in order.

Band students, practice charts are due by Friday. Online theory is due by June 17th at the very latest, and I have already spoken to some of you about how much is needing to be done. Many of you have completed the program with 100% or in the high 90s. Way to go!

The concert tomorrow is at 7pm, and the order is as follows:

Jazz Choir (be here by 6:30pm)
Level 1 Band (be here by 6:30pm)
Orchestra 10 (be here by 6:45pm)
Orchestra 20 (be here by 6:45pm)
Level 2 Band (be here by 7:00pm)
Jazz Choir (already here)
Orchestra 30 (be here by 7:15pm)
Junior Choir/Senior Choir (be here by 7:15pm)
Level 3 Band (be here by 7:30pm)
Level 4 Band (be here by 7:30pm)

The room assignments for each group are posted on all of the homeroom doors along with a copy of the program. Please be sure that your instruments and music are out of the storage rooms by 6:45pm on Thursday. If this means that you need to remove them on Wednesday or Thursday after school, please do so. You may store them in your classrooms temporarily and then return them after the concert.

The dress for the concert is full uniform (vest, tie, etc.) with BLACK PANTS. Kilts don't go over well when playing on a raised stage. Even if your group is standing, please wear black pants to stay consistent throughout each ensemble.

Thank you for all of your hard work this year! I'm excited for our concert, as we really have some nice rep prepared for our audience (I'm sure the twins will love it! Look for them in the front row!). Our performance year will round out with an afternoon entertaining at the Good Sam's International RV Club "Samboree" at the Exhibition Center on Friday. If you're a grade 10 student who is helping at track, you will be excused for the performance(s). If you're a junior student who is competing at track, you will remain at the track for the day to complete your events.

There are still a few of you who owe me singing/playing tests from earlier this semester. I will be tracking you down to make sure that they happen before final exams (or during that week if necessary). Choral 20 students, we may have to run singing tests over a lunch hour so that we can potentially use our final rehearsal times to sing at Pineview or Mont St. Joe's (although nothing of that sort has been arranged yet).

Science 7 HW check and Sunday mass updates

Science 7 homework (if questions not finished during allotted class time today): Pg. 298 #2(a), 2.3 Check Your Progress # 1, 2, 5, 6(a)(b), 7

For all musicians involved in the 11:00am mass this Sunday at Sacred Heart, please arrive at 10:30 with your music. I will bring the Spirit & Song books from the school so don't worry about those. Thank you so much for your service to the choir and to the mass this week - it is very much appreciated!

Calling all musicians

Hi girls! If any of you would like to join the Senior Choir in a mass choir for the 11:00am mass on Sunday, May 29th at Sacred Heart, please sign up on my door this week. All singers and instrumentalists are welcome.

If you are interested in applying for a scholarship for International Music Camp, please pick up an application form from me and have it back to me by this Friday. For more information on the camp, its programs, location, dates, etc. check out www.internationalmusiccamp.com.

Finally, if you would like to perform at the Good Sam's International RV event on Friday, June 10th at the Exhibition Centre, please sign up on my door. All acts are welcome - dancers, singers, instrumentalists, etc. Think of this as a Variety Night type event when deciding what you could perform.

For example, if you and a friend can do something this super cool (or even a fraction of its coolness), then you're in!:

Silent Monks "Hallelujah Chorus" from Handel's Messiah

As promised to the jazz choir girls, here they are! The silent monks "singing" Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's Messiah. Hilarious!

Updates all around!

Science 7 - Notes on the theory of plate tectonics, types of boundaries (converging, diverging, transform), brainstorm and discussion on earthquakes and volcanoes

Comp 8I - Nature Quote, start April calendars when you finish the nature edit

Comp 8M - April calendars

IP 10 - Brainstorming for news broadcast video project

IP 20/30 - Start thinking about when you will begin filming for your movie trailer video project - the brainstorming and planning process should be coming together now with some concrete ideas for how you will shoot each clip, camera angles, costumes, effects, etc.

Jazz Choir - We're Doin' a Show/What a Wonderful World - memory work on Wonderful World should be almost done now

Senior Choir - Body Talk, new piece(s) TBA, Early One Morning/Fare Thee Well, Love for final concert as well

All bands - Online theory marks have been printed and will be 30% of your report card mark again this semester. Practice charts for March are due by this Friday, and need to be signed by a parent or guardian to verify that your minutes have been completed. CONGRATULATIONS to the Level 3 and Level 4 bands who played at Music Festival yesterday and scored marks of 87 and 88 (Level 3), and 86 and 87 (Level 4). We are so proud of you! Way to go!

Junior choir opportunity - If you want to sing with the choir for the Way of the Cross celebration on April 18th, please let me know. We will be singing "Sing Hosanna," "Eat This Bread," "Look at the Cross," "All You Who Pass This Way," and "Jesus, Remember Me."

Watoto Children's Choir concert announcement - March 17th

I just came across this concert announcement on panow (you can find the whole article by clicking here). This is sure to be an incredible concert and shouldn't be missed! Check it out!