I just love doing a graphic score project in the spring when student are craving “free time.” In past years, this rule-free notation was stressful for some students but now they’re all used to being musically creative and confident. They can work solo/in a group, use any instrument they’d know how to take out and produce sound on, create any kind of graphic score they can imagine, and choose to perform it for the class or just for me. Then we exchange music – the scores in these pictures required others to decode and calculate!

The JLPS Towers School Band had back-to-back gigs in April. We supported the JLPS Kindergarten/Gr. 1 Firepit Singalong Concert by strumming along with all of their tunes. The next day we packed up to perform at the TDSB esme music festival (expanding success in music education); working with Doug Friesen we demonstrated how quickly our band can pick up new tunes. A fearless, fun team!

I can’t tell you how much my students and I love music centres! I suggest two quiet centres: books and iPads (music apps only), plus one open jam centre with instruments they know, and one centre with you-either introducing a new instrument (cello!) or for one-on-one assessment. You choose the groups (number off), keep an eye on the clock, have them point to their next station before rotating, and enjoy!

Student musicians chose and created our concert theme, pieces, instruments, music parts, and arrangements. It was a joy for me to perform with these kids! Huge shout out to my incredible Gr. 7/8 Music Council who helped me plan the show and set up/tear down the stage…twice!

This year we’re studying how music affects our brains. Our beloved EA, Ms Lee’s, Mom just turned 100 and sometimes she forgets things, but she was able to name 6 of her favourite old songs-from Beatles to Elvis to Beach Boys. My primary classes and I made video performances and sent them to her and the students’ families. Fun Fun Fun!

Last week I got to greet my Towers School Band members in the halls with, “Massey Hall is a go!” We’re so excited to have 2 song writing sessions with The Good Lovelies AND join them on stage for a song at their Dec. 11th show…at Massey Hall!

When JLPS opened I mistakenly purchased this composer timeline. Last year I showed it to my students and asked them to spot why I was going to return the product. They immediately noticed that the majority of composers were white and male. The students each chose an artist they believed worthy of celebrating and our new timeline is now on our back cupboards-from Yo-Yo Ma to Coi Leray to XXXTentacion. Much better!

My colleague coined it “Katherine Karaoke” – Student singers, solo or in duets, performed favourite songs for their class and were then chosen from a hat to perform outside at our school Fun Fair. Such a lovely, casual, successful performance opportunity and fun entertainment!

In a group or on your own, I dare you to compose a piece of music using 5 shoes, 4 drumsticks, 3 voices, 2 ukuleles, and 1 iPad…

I love rotating students through music centres so that I can explore new instruments with a small circle of musicians. I’m a violinist and my older students all learn to play with me but I always get a little violin in each younger students hands-I love watching their faces light up when they hear their first violin sound under their left ear. The banjo? Like the majority of our instruments this banjo was donated to our program and the kids, the internet, a guest, and I will figure it out!