African Drumming, Woah Yeah!
We are thrilled to welcome Kofi and Appiah back to school to continue our African Drumming/Dance program. The students all had one workshop with Kofi and Appiah back in July when the ‘snap Lockdown’ was announced. We hit the ‘pause button’ with fingers crossed that we would be able to drum and dance again before too long, and my, how we have waited! Kofi and Appiah are pumped and energised, and are super impressed with the student’s enthusiasm and how they have remembered their routines. No one would think that 4 months had passed since their last lesson. As we need to stay in our COVID safe Neighbourhood bubbles, we are sorry that this year, we won’t be able to present our drumming and dance performances in a concert with our community. However, we will video our activities and share our learning on Blogs and in a Digital Presentation which will be edited together at the conclusion of the program. The up-side of not preparing for a concert means that we have time to explore other aspects of culture from Ghana, and students have been treated to Kofi and Appiah’s mesmerising performances on the Balafon and Kora.
Kofi balancing calabash. 
Appiah balances a chair! ‘Do not try this at home!’ Kofi advised! 
Zara Yr 2: confident with 2 calabash. 
The 5/6s power up the kpanlogo floor drums.
Last Friday we were so happy to welcome Sasha, Mitchell and Kylie, our Instrumental Music teachers, back to school. Our IM students and teachers have been such ‘super troopers’ over the Lockdown months, and have demonstrated great dedication to their love of learning and the importance of connecting through music. There is a real sense of relief that we can make music, feel how good it is to hear music live and be together. We look forward to sharing our achievements later this month either through Neighbourhood performances, a Concert, or a Digital Presentation, depending on what is possible and COVID safe.
Also, we have continued working with the Boomwackers in the Prep Neighbourhood. These instruments have been a great way for the Preps to understand that the length of a tube is related to its pitch, in the same way that the students discovered that a piccolo flute has the highest sound of the flute family because it is the smallest. We were able to make up a Boomwacker orchestra and played ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’. We soon discovered how important being ready to play, watching the conductor and listening were to make a successful performance. I am really proud of the awesome team-building skills the Preps demonstrated. Bravo Prep-stars.
As we power through November, anticipation for the Yr 6 Graduation starts to build. I’m delighted that the Yr 6s have chosen their favourite songs to form their Graduation Song Medley which includes lyrics written by the students. Our next step is to form up the Grad Band and start rehearsing. It’s going to be a wonderful celebration for our Yr 6s, and we look forward to sharing this with our community in the Final Assembly.
Have a great two weeks, and Bravo to everyone for reigniting the spirit of Music at school.
Cheerio, Deb.
Sasha’s Yr 2s are no longer beginners: their confidence is outstanding! Bravo!