Music

This year was the year we’ve been waiting for!

During the periods of lockdown and social distancing, La Scuola remained committed to music and the arts, sharing music through Zoom, recordings, and videos. Once our campuses joined and we began sharing music as part of our regular routines, performances and enthusiasm flourished, with not only more than eight music performances, but with the sounds of students playing and rehearsing independently during the school day. On February 16th we had our official concert schedule reopening with our first outdoor, K-8 concert. This concert was special, because it was produced entirely by our Grade 8 class under the guidance of Chiara Fornetti. Students in Grades K-2 rehearsed with Eleonora Pellegrini, and students in Grade 3-8 rehearsal with Carlo Dean, to each perform a piece for our families and community. We started the Grade 8 tradition of

Our official campus merge was celebrated on December 3rd, officiated by Italian Consul General, Sergio Strozzi. To mark the occasion, the Ambassador Ensemble played the Italian National Anthem. December also brought us our first alumni performance, a special holiday performance at Il Museo Italo Americano.

producing a concert as a way to demonstrate the trust we put into our graduates as having obtained the skills and detailed knowledge needed.

On February 25th, we had our Carnevale celebration. Under the guidance of our MYP Language Coordinator and Curriculum Developer Carmen Gomez, we created a Renaissance Festival and took our students back to the 1500s to meet the characters of the Commedia dell’Arte. Students and teachers learned some of the music of the time and acted as traveling troubadours. Our Ambassador Ensemble prepared Fasola Siciliana, a lively Tarantellalike dance, for La Dolce Vita, our annual fundraising gala. This was our first time performing at La Dolce Vita since Spring of 2019, so we had many new Ambassador Ensemble members! It was a special event for us all, and we like to think we helped inspire the generous giving received that night.

Music plays a large role in just about all celebrations at La Scuola

May brought us our return to Herbst Theater. Students from Kindergarten through 8th grade performed for their families and communities, in our first double-header concert. Students prepared music from their respective units to demonstrate their skills in a group setting. Students demonstrated everything from increased chord vocabulary to the development of their tremolo technique to their exploration into folk or concert music of time or place. Our multi-year musical journey was again on display, with:

Kindergarten musicians demonstrating their understanding of pitch through singing

Grade 1 musicians demonstrating the rhythmic skills developed on non-pitched percussion

Grade 2 musicians demonstrating navigating diatonic melodies and harmonies on xylophones, glockenspiels, and other pitched instruments

Grade 3 musicians demonstrating chords and notes within a 4-part ukulele orchestra

Grade 4 musicians learning the basics of the orchestra a plettro, a traditional Italian plucked string orchestra

Grade 5 musicians applying blues scales and technique to improvisation

Middle School musicians demonstrating their ensemble skills as well as their solo and small group work

Music plays a large role in just about all celebrations at La

Scuola, but for graduation week we pull out all the stops! Our Ambassador Ensemble announced the start of our School Year Completion Ceremony with the Italian National Anthem. Two graduating students performed Brave, by Sara Bareilles, and a teacher music ensemble performed a special message to our students, singing Wake Up, Everybody by Harold Melvin.

For the Preschool Graduation, a group of seven young musicians lent their talents for the celebration, playing Pomp and Circumstance while the Grandissimi graduates processed for over 20 minutes!

For our final event of the school year, Grade 8 Graduation, the entire Grade 8 class aptly performed Bill Conti’s Gonna Fly Now, the theme from Rocky. We know you will, Grade 8! We look forward to hearing about your journeys!