Religion Rap!

Today during test week we had a history project. We had to make a rap about the christianity. We were all divided into groups and I was with Sophie van Stokrom, Nijs, Rober Unger and Nold Jaeger. We had a lot of fun. We had to make 3 couplets and a chores. We had to put all our knowledge from the christianity into our rap. I never actually made a rap before. Well a Sinterklaas poem, yes, but a rap? no. haha. It was a lot of fun. We got a beat on which we had to rap and we needed to do it in front of the whole class.

Finally there were chosen three groups that had the chance to record their rap. My group was chosen. With real equipment we had to rap, one by one. We didn't have enough time to finish the whole song we only did the first couplet and the chorus, but they do want us to come back later to record the song and to participate with 80 DB. I think that would be a lot of fun.

Through today I really noticed that I like rapping a lot! Maybe I will one day, just for fun, make a rap myself.

I hope you like reading my blogs so far!

Bye bye xxx

Mila

Klassiek and Unplugged

Together with my music class we participated in a music 'concert' in my school. It was loads of fun. One time we had to perform in front of an audience. We performed to songs:

Blackbird - the Beatles
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjkxSS_Ednc

Because - the Beatles

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EE5f4hVMCew

our main song was 'because' we also practiced that song the most. During our performance also that song went the best. We were guided on the piano by Mr. Weisser, on the guitar by Andrew and Mr. Derx. Our other song 'blackbird' didn't really went good and we were very false.

But participating was a lot of fun. We are also participating with the next performance on my school : 80 DB I hope that that also will become a lot of fun.

The King of Rock 'n Roll

During my music class we watched a documentary about Elvis Presley. We all know Elvis Presley, but before I watched this documentary I didn't know anything about him. I never listened to his songs, or how he became so famous. By watching this documentary I did became to know much more.

I also became to know one song from Elvis Presley that I even listen now today. It makes me really happy:

Tutti Frutti - Elvis Presley

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1se7jv7IC70

Here in very short something about Elvis and Rock 'n roll.

Elvis Presley , the king of Rock 'n Roll.

Rock 'n roll started during slavery. It was known as black music, as race-music. In those days America had a disease. A disease of racism. Black people weren't tolerated thus there music wasn't too. Until one day, when Elvis showed up. A white man, singing black music.

Elvis was a white kid that has his whole like been really attracted to black music. He came from Mississippi. Even in that time (when there was racism, from whites to black) he as a white man went to black churches. He went to Mephis and he went making black music. (1950's) This was something completely new. A white man singing black music. In that time white people first had to except that a white guy was singing black music. Through the great music, great singer and the humor Elvis put in his performances through his helper Bill people soon started to except it. Elvis actually opened the world for black music and Rock 'n Roll was really born. Elvis Presley, He was a revolutionary figure.

Playing test.

During my music class we worked on a song. 'funkytown' (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LARjYfqDbXQ)

It was a very fun song. We were divided into different groups and we had to play it using all different music instruments. I was playing the drums, but in my group also 3 people played the piano and one boy was singing.

A couple of weeks ago we had to perform it to our class. We had to grade each other. Here is how I thought about grading the other groups:

1. What did you find interesting or remarkable?

I really notices the different way all the groups were playing. The group of Andrew and Jelle was playing all kinds of music loudly through each other, my group was all doing a little bit and the group of Aisha was with a large piano solo.

2. Was it difficult to judge other people? Could you be objective?

Yes, I thought it was hard. Because I also didn't want to give bad grades. Firstly I filled in everything very positively. Later when I had to hand it in I noticed that I graded too high, thus I lowered my grades a bit. I did try to be as objective as possible.

3. Did you listen and watch more closely than you usually do?

Yes, I really payed attention to everybody individually and how they played together.

I listened if there were made any mistakes and if the rhythm was ok.

4. How did it feel to have "power" over grading?

Because it are your peers you don't want to grade them too low. In overall I do like grading. You don't really need to do a lot, you just need to sit and pay attention for a while. You don't have to perform and you are not being graded.

5. Do you think that you were fair in your grading?

Yes I think. First I wasn't fair because I was too positive, but when I looked at my grades again I changed them. I started to think if the rubrics actually said what they were doing. This wasn't the case thus I made the grades lower.

6. Do you think that your classmates were fair to you and your group?

Yes I think so. In the end we got a grade I think we deserved. I was really happy with my grade. The rubrics my peers and me used was a rubric where there was mostly looked at the effort put the your music. Personally I put a lot of effort in my work. I tried really hard to be a good drummer, although this didn't go good the whole time.

7. Did the rubric work well? Was it easy to use? Was it accurate in determining the success level of each group?
Yes, I think the rubric worked well. Maybe because it was a rubric that my group made, haha. But I did think the rubric was good. Because it was not only based on how well you play, but also on how motivated you are and how much effort you had. This I think was very good because the level of music experience in our class differs a lot and this way a group with less children that know how to play an music instrument also got a chance to get a good grade.

Zwolle

With our (a part of) music class we went as an excursion to Zwolle. We went to watch an Opera piece of Mrs. Weisser. We had a really fun trip! We left school a little early to go to the train station to Zwolle. With the whole group we went watching the opera. The wife of mrs. Weisser helped us to reach the opera and afterwords we could ask questions to the musicians and to other helpers like for example we could ask questions to the girl who made the decor. After that we went to a pizza restaurant with the whole group. That also was really fun. I had a great time!

About the opera: Before I went to see this opera I went to two other opera's. These only didn't have a very serious subject. This opera did. I really thought that the singing was beautiful! The acting also was really good, but opera just isn't my music style that is why at a certain moment it began to get a bit bored. But at the end I did have my attention back to the story through the acting at that point.

It was a very fun trip!