RMS Hosts 2008 Middle School Strings All-City Concert

Watch the video of the 2008 Memphis City Schools Middle School Strings All-City Concert, held at Ridgeway Middle School on Thursday, October 16th, 2008

RMS Students Attend MSO Young People's Concert

On Tuesday, October 14th, RMS music students travelled to the Cannon Center for the Performing Arts to attend the Memphis Symphony Orchestra's Young People's Concert. RMS students, along with other MSC students, enjoyed performances of twentieth century pieces from composers such as Aaron Copland, Charles Ives, Igor Stravinsky, and Leonard Bernstein. MSO Assistant Conductor James Feddeck discussed each piece in terms of its historical context, explaining the twentieth century events that inspired each composer and what the music represented.

RMS World Drum Squad and Choir performing at the Memphis Farmers Market

The RMS World Drum Squad and Choir will be performing at the Memphis Farmers Market on Saturday morning, October 25th from 10:00 to 10:30 AM. October 25th will be the last day of the Market's 2008 season. Visit their web site for event information and directions.

Information regarding transportation and attire for this performance will be posted here and sent home next week - October 14th-17th. Visit the Music & Media Network Choir page for more information.

Oktoberfest Concert & Hot Dog Supper Fundraiser

Dear Parents, Family, and Friends,

You are cordially invited to the Oktoberfest Concert and Hot Dog Supper Fundraiser on Thursday evening, October 23rd, 6:00 to 7:00 PM. The event will be held in the RMS Cafeteria and feature:

• Performances by the RMS Choir and World Drum Squad
• Sixth Grade General Music Ensemble Performance
• Multimedia Presentations from General Music Students
• Dinner
• Door Prizes

Admission will be $4.00 per person at the door. Proceeds benefit the RMS Choir, World Drum Squad, and General Music program.

After school choir rehearsals will continue from now through October 23rd. Rehearsals will be held on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 2:30 to 3:30 each day. Students are encouraged to attend any and all of the after school rehearsals. Transportation home must be provided for students immediately following rehearsals.

Student volunteers are encouraged to stay after school on the day of the concert – Thursday, October 23rd – to help set up and decorate the cafeteria for the event.

Click Here to Download/Print Oktoberfest Concert flyer (this flyer was sent home with stduents on Thursday, October 9th)

Please contact me with any questions or concerns you may have. I look forward to seeing all of you at the concert. Thank you for your support!

Sincerely,

Ken Greene
greenekennethe@mcsk12.net
(901) 416-1588, ext. 21513

*Approved by Lisa Henry, RMS Principal*

Sixth Grade Syncopation - Day 2

Click the play button to hear sixth grade students performing the syncopated polyrhythm notated in the picture on the left. The first rhythm performed in the recording was line four, played on a floor tom, snare drum, rubber cans, and chairs. Line one enters next - this is the rhythm from our October 1st, "Day 1" entry. Line two enters next. followed by hand-clapped line three. The performance was impressively accurate! Improvisation will be added on Monday, October 6th, on drums and harmonica (if Theodore and Antario bring their harps). Click on the picture on the left to view a larger image. See if you can follow the notation as each new line of rhythm is performed.

Sixth Grade Syncopation - Day 1

Click the play button to hear sixth graders Antario Ross and Arthur Robinson introduce the first part of a polyrhythmic composition that includes syncopation and improvisation. Students are experiencing the strong connection between music and math as they read, analyze, divide, count, and perform rhythm patterns in different meters (4/4 and 4/2 so far). We continue to emphasize the connection to speech (language arts) as we learn new, more complex rhythms. The rhythm notation in the picture below (left) is the pattern performed by the students in the recording. Click on the pictures to view larger images. The next syncopated pattern will be introduced tomorrow, along with a section for improvised solos on percussion and harmonica!