Miss Johansson Leaves

We will greatly miss our wonderful, talented Miss Carolina Johansson, who is leaving Ambrit to take a position in Sweden as producer of children's theater. Carolina teachers Grades 4-8, conducted Middle School Choir and Honor Choir, and also directed the annual St. Lucia Carol Ceremony in Rome. Students traveled with Miss Johansson to London, Valencia, and Madrid. She will continue singing concerts and working with young people as she produces operettas, and designs sets and costumes for the performances, something Carolina enjoys a great deal. Many Ambrit students and colleagues will have fond memories form dance festivals and concerts they have performed with Miss Johansson, and we know that she will be taking warm memories of her Italian experiences with her.

 

EC Halloween Sing Along

The Early Childhood Halloween Sing Along was a success! The event started with a costume parade where EC students showed off their scary and spooky costumes. Then stutents sang a variety of Halloween songs and the parents joined in too! Thank you parents and friends for your cooperation and participation. What a great way to kick off the Autumn season! Hope everyone had a Happy Halloween!

Piano and Friends Recital November 24, 2011

The Piano and Friends Recital will be Thursday, November 24, at 19:00 in the Ambrit Theater. This annual concert is performed by professional musicians, many of whom teach music at the school. Our program this year promises to be beautiful and entertaining, from Baroque music to 20th Century. Students who are learning to play an instrument will also enjoy this concert, and should attend with their parents.

The program includes: Bach Brandenburg Concerto N. 3, Faure' Elegie for 'Cello and Piano, Bernstein Clarinet Solo, Franck Violin Sonata, and several other short pieces. The duration will be one hour and 15 minutes.

A Music Trip to Cyprus!

Arabic-European Choral Festival

Many of us have taken advantage of the wonderful professional development opportunities offered to teachers at Ambrit. In September I was fortunate to attend the first world Arabic-European Choral Festival in Limassol, Cyprus, which was funded entirely by Europa Cantat and the European Union, and hosted by Epilogi Choral Crossroads. It was an event I will never forget, because I heard world-class, inspiring choirs from Hungary, Estonia, Jordan, Lebannon, Serbia, Egypt and Greece, and our hosts from Cyprus were not only prize-winning singers, but superb hosts. We had very hot weather, but the activities were very cool! Meeting and speaking with the conductors of all these choirs was so interesting. I attended discussions on Arabic music and the challenges of the language and style when related to our European concept of choral singing. I picked up some great new music for my Ambrit choirs and for the MAIS Honor Choir, and shared some music I have with conductors from other countries. I was a panel member for the discussion of women in the world of conducting. Ten choirs sang for a packed house on the first two nights, and we were in heaven listening to the various styles and all the interesting music they had to offer, some of it very different from our own. The final night was a concert in the Kourion Roman amphitheater, where all choirs sang individually, and, jointly, a song called We Are Bridges,  by Steve Dobrogosz, commissioned by the Cyprus Epilog committee. Please see the video link to get a flavor of the event, scrolling down to the song on the composer's website.

This trip not only gave me loads of new music, new friends and colleagues, and a beautiful experience in Cyprus, but it also inspired me and reminded me that trips like this for our own students are such an important educational experience in growing up. I was indeed sorry when the Festival came to an end, and lucky to be one of the participants.

Grade 8 Composition Elective Class

This year, Grade 8 students get the opportunity to choose an elective class for each term. Music Instructor, Ms. Johannson, is offering a composition class, where students learn how to compose, edit, and mix their own musical pieces on the professional program called Logic Express. At the end of each term, students will showcase their musical pieces at a concert. Below is a picture of students' first day working on Logic Express.

Summer Has Come to an End, A New School Year Begins!

Welcome Back! The Music Department has some new and exciting events to come this year. First, we would like to welcome the Music Intern, Ms. Natalie Atzeff, who will be working with the EC and Primary Grades 1-3 students. She will also be instructing two Drama classes during the After School Program. To read her Bio, please refer to the link below.
http://ambrit-rome.com/staff/staffnews.html
natalie.atzeff@ambrit-rome.com
We have started the year off by introducing different ways to use our voice. Students are able to decipher the difference between whispering, shouting, singing, and talking. Here are a few pictures of the Kinder and Grade 2 Music Class.