Well we have finished the first quarter and it’s been a quarter of hard work, and great fun.
In the primary grades we began to explore the scale and our own abilities to make music. The kindergarten has learned many songs and games including one of my favorites “O A-Hunting We Will Go”. We also welcome back our Kindergarten classes volunteer, Mrs. Terry Behringer .

The 1st Graders have learned many American game songs including “My Mama’s Calling Me”. The 2nd Grade spent time learning Halloween songs for what was a wonderful performance at a local nursing home on Oct. 31. The 3rd Grade is playing the Orff accompaniment to songs from our new textbook series. They recorded a music video that we hope can be put on the website for your viewing pleasure. They also began working on the Orff instrumental parts for “The Eucharistic Prayer For Children II by Richard Proulx. Grades 1-3 will be attending a concert at Music Hall with the Cincinnati Symphony on Nov. 12th, featuring pieces all based on Russian folktales, including “Peter And The Wolf”

The 4th Graders and I once again began to delve into the world of recorders. We have been working on building a repertoire of many songs. Also we continue working on our sight-reading of the music. We are looking forward to our first public performance playing recorders. The 5th & 6th Graders have also been working on drumming folk skills and styles from around the world. We will hold our first drum circle on Nov. 18 at 7:00 p.m. 5th and 6th grade parents are invited.

The Junior High has begun work on becoming a serious chorus. We have introduced several different styles including classical, world folk and Broadway. They began work on two seasonal pieces,” Joyful Joyful” and “Gaudate”.

Much of the work that we will be doing the 2ed quarter will be in preparation for the Christmas Concert.

Welcome to the New Year!
I am in my forth year as the K-8 music teacher and my 29th at Nativity school. You can find me in the classroom immediately adjacent to the cafeteria. I would like to take this opportunity to say welcome to all the new students and staff at Nativity this year.

Kindergarten - Grade 3
Homework is rarely given in grades K-3. When those rare assignments are given I will send a note home and post it on this website, giving the students and parents at least 1 weeks notice. This information will be found under the Homework heading. This is our second year of using the textbook series for grades K-6, published by Macmillan/McGraw-Hill called Spotlight On Music.

I will continue teaching the primary more about music by way of the Orff instruments as I continue my own Orff education. The 2ed and 3rd graders will be introduced to songs and games from Asia, Africa and Latin America .We will also look at folk music and classical compositions from Hungary in preperation for our Hungarian vistors in the 2ed semester. The primary grades will be learning about classical music based on storybook and folk tales such as Peter and the Wolf.

Grade 4
Students in grade 4 will again be learning to play the recorders and will need to practice daily about 10-15 minutes a day. Students will receive their recorders on the first day of their music class . They will also receive a neck strap and recorder manuel within the first two weeks. They will be given practice assignments that they are asked to master.

Also they may have a short term assignment that is due a week later, in which case a note will be sent home and the assignment will be posted here under Homework with all the pertinent information. 4th grade will also continue their exploration of writing and reading of music by way of a new music composition program found in our computer lab.

Grades 5 & 6
Grades 5 & 6 will occasionally have some short term assignments due and those will be handled much like the K-4 assignments. The emphasis in Grades 5 & 6 is on percussion rhythms, unison singing, two-part and three part singing. There will be, on occasion, a need for 5th and 6th graders to memorize rhythm or vocal parts so some practice is necessary at home and copies of parts will be made available to the students. It is our plan to also continue working with 5 & 6 in “drum circles’. We hope to invite students and parents to a drum circle once in the 1st semester and once in the 2nd semester.

We will continue work with the 5th graders on recorders and expand their abilities by working on 3 part pieces using alto and tenor recorders along with the sopranos. Grades 4-6 will also study the roots of American music and attend a concert of the Cincinnati Symphony celebrating American Originals.

Grades 7 & 8
7th & 8th grade functions as a chorus so 95% of the work happens in the classroom. Only rarely will they have a request from me to work outside our rehearsal time, although assignments will be given in the form of practice music .The music that they work with will be from a variety of genres with special emphasis on Asian and African pieces .

We will continue to have the junior high work on learning to sight read and use a textbook to refine their knowledge of music theory. There are new textbooks that we will use as our primary resource. Assignments from these resources will also be posted on this website under Homework.

I continue to welcome your feedback. Again, thank you for your support and patience.

Some general thoughts on the music program.
One way to improve on what we already do is to continue to have students take a more active role in the music ministry for liturgy and other forms of prayer. This will not only include an increase in leading our school community but also the chance to strengthen our parish community on Sundays. Students will find these opportunities not only in singing but also in using their talents with instruments such as recorders, percussion and Orff instrumentation.

It is my intention to also continue to increase the students opportunities for public performance of skills learned in the classroom. Ialso hope to provide students with a chance to experience the quality musicianship that exists in our area high schools both in vocal and instrumental music. I will keep you informed as those opportunities arise. We want our students to know that the study of music in high school is continued enthusiastically by many high school students. The final component of this program is at the core of understanding music. That component, the teaching of music theory, or how to read and play music, will be enhanced with a consistent use of Orff methods and instruments. This program, I believe is the most successful when this method is incorporated at the earliest levels of the students’ education and continued throughout education up and through junior high.

As a rule detentions are not issued; however, chronic problems in class may warrant their use for older students.Early in the first week of school the class will review rules for the classroom and school rules and polices. A code of conduct for students is available to you on another handout. Your support is greatly appreciated. Demerits will, when the situation is serious and warrants it, will be issued but a reasonable attempt will be made to prevent any behavioral concerns from escalating by working with you and the school staff. Should you need to contact me, e-mail me at jrbeiting@fuse.net or please call the school office (513-458-6767) and leave a message. I will return your call or respond to your note as soon as possible.

Sincerely yours,
Mr. Joseph R. Beiting