Parish WebsiteSt. John Fisher Staff Newsletter(SAM) Brian's Weather School Calendars Alumni & Giving Faculty Email Login |
 |
Cynthia Bjore: As a child I took piano lessons until I started playing the violin in the fifth grade. I was accepted into the Metropolitan Youth Symphony in 7th grade and was concert master of the prepatory orchestra when I was 12. I moved up to the highest group within the MYS in high school where I was also the concert master of the Vancouver Youth Symphony and VYS Chamber Ensemble. I won several awards in high school for both choir and orchestra, and went on to major in music performance in college. I started college at MHCC on full scholarship, played both violin and viola, sang in the chamber choir and was the Orchestra Vocal Soloist. From there I went to UNLV also on a full ride where I focused on opera studies and viola performance. While I was attending UNLV I worked as the vocal specialist for the famed Las Vegas Academy of Arts High School, I also was a cantor and bell choir director of a large church.
After I was done with school there I moved home (Portland) to be closer to my
family. I taught private voice/violin/viola and piano for two years before
I was hired as the music teacher at Our Lady of Sorrows school here in Portland,
which unfortunately is closed now. A year later I was very excited to
accept my job as music teacher here at St. John Fisher!! I thank God every
day for my job and the amazing students I get to work with.
Dear Friends,
Well, here we are only a few weeks away from our show, and I can't wait to see
all of the hard work we've been putting in come together.
We are in need of a couple of days with a larger chuck of time to rehearse.
We took a vote this morning, and as group we all agreed that we will stay after
school this week on Wednesday and next week on Wednesday until 4:45. I'm
sorry about the inconvenience that this may cause, but it's only two weeks and
this time will be vital to the success of our show. If you have any needs
for your students costume, if you would like to, or are willing to help during
one of the performances, and if you need anything at all, please feel free to
contact me. I check my email several times a day and should be able to
respond quickly. From this point all rehearsals are Mandatory!!
Here is the schedule from now to the final show:
Wednesday May 12th 3:10-4:45 PM
Thursday May 13th 7:25-8:10 (am)
Tuesday May 18th 7:25-8:10 (am)
Wednesday May 19th 3:10-4:45 PM
Thursday May 20th 7:25-8:10 (am)
Monday May 24th 3:00 - 5:00 PM
Tuesday May 25th 3:00 - 5:00 PM Wednesday May 26th - Opening Night! Be there no later than 6:30, the show starts at 7:00
Thursday May 27th - Closing Night!
Be there no later than 6:30, the show starts at 7:00
Everyone is welcome to meet at Dairy Queen after the final show (it's SJF
tradition)
Thank you to everyone for your hard work, scheduling
accommodations, and dedication making this show possible!!
Cynthia Bjore
SJF Music Teacher
Dear Cast of Bye Bye Birdie,
Our rehearsals have been very successful so far!
I would like to change our schedule, we will still practice on Tuesday and
Thursday mornings, (be there at 7:25) but we will no longer separate into two
groups.
From now on we will rehearse scene by scene on the stage in the cafeteria. The
cast members should check their script to see which scenes they are in, but if
they want to attend all rehearsals that would be great, there will be
plenty for them to do. We are going to start making costumes, props and
set pieces during the morning rehearsals and the more students are there to work
on these things the better!
Here is the schedule for the next two weeks:
Tuesday 4/13 - Act One, Scene One
Thursday 4/15 - Act One, Scene Two
Tuesday 4/20 - Act One, Scene Three
Thursday 4/22 - Act One, Scene Four Thank you for all of the hard work everyone is putting into this show! What have we
been busy doing in Music class?
K-we
have been using a variety of songs to learn rhythm through movement, how to use
and identify voice types, and how to identify high, low, soft, and loud through
games and various other activities. 1st-
We have been singing multi-cultural songs to reinforce rhythm and pitch skills.
We have also been identifying basic rhythmic notation. We clap and stomp
and use voices or instruments to apply the notation they are learning. As
a reward for their good behavior, they are watching a little bit of Joseph
and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat (the stage production) at the end of
our classes and will finish this week. 2nd -
Songs for Mass have become and important part of music class for 2nd grade as
they prepare to present Mass again in a couple of weeks. Multicultural
songs are also being used, as well as games and activities to help identify more
complex rhythmic patterns. 3rd - This
year the recorder was introduced. The recorder is a great tool for reading
notes, applying the rhythmic patterns they have learned in previous years, and
proper playing positions and etiquette. We have been singing a variety of
songs from other cultures, as well as traditional American folk songs.
This class has done a great job presenting Mass and learning songs for church. 4th -
We are using a recorder method called
Recorder Karate this year, and so far they love it! It is very exciting to
see them earn their belts as they test through each level. Ask your 4th
grader to serenade you with a recorder tune before dinner to help them practice.
They are also doing a great job learning how to read and recognize musical
notation on the staff. As a reward for their excellent behavior, we have
been watching a film about composer/pianist Franz Liszt called Liszt's
Rhapsody at the end of our classes. We finished the film yesterday. 5th - Music
note twister has become one of our favorite games, this helps them remember the
placement of the notes on the staff in both treble and bass clef. We have
been practicing identifying and writing rhythms through a variety of games and
activities. Orff Instruments, such as the small marimba, have been
introduced this year and will become a major focus in the spring term. As
a reward for a fantastic job during mass we have been watching a little bit of
the stage production of Peter Pan at the end of our classes. We
finished this yesterday. 8th -
The goal for the 8th grade class this year was to have them demonstrate a clear
understanding of the treble and bass clefs, basic and complex rhythmic notation,
melody and harmony, and musical periods throughout history. That is a lot
to cover in only one term, but they have done a great job so far. We use
worksheets, songs, group activities, games and the occasional video to learn
about music from different cultures, instruments from various countries, and
music theory. We discussed musical theater, have played a variety of
improvisation games to help promote self confidence and self awareness, and we
are watching a bit of Into the Woods the stage production. Drama -
This term we discusses the use of verbal vs. non-verbal communication, using our
body language instead of words to communicate. We have worked a lot on
improvisation, learning to think on your feet and step outside your comfort
zone. I have seen a lot of brave, strong work during these activities.
They have also been working on short plays in small groups, working on stage
presence, eye contact, line delivery, body language, conversational
interpretation and memorization. Bye Bye Birdie
Rehearsal Schedule until April: Tues, Wed, Thurs. January 26, 27 & 28 7:30 am in the music Groups start Tuesday February 2 (Group 1) and Thursday February 4 (Group 2)
Tuesdays 7:30 am in the music room–
Group 1
Choir Announcement COME JOIN THE CHOIR! This year the SJF choir is going to
sing at THE GROTTO on November 30th
at 6:00 – 6:45. I need a lot of
strong voices for this event; singing at the Grotto is a huge honor!
We will also be performing with the K-5 students at the annual
Christmas program. We will meet in the
Music room at 7:30 on Tuesdays and
Thursdays until Christmas break. To join this years choir just see Ms.
Bjore, no try-out is required, but you must sign up by
NEXT WEEK or you will miss your
chance! Choir is open to all 5th
– 8th grade students.
4th Grade Music Reminder
Calling All 4th Grade Students Just a friendly reminder that Recorders, a Music Folder, and
a Pencil will be needed at all music classes this year.
Please remember to bring these three things to school every Tuesday and
Thursday for Music Class. Thank you!! |