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Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts

Thursday, June 5, 2014

Oh What a Night...

Instead of watching Jeopardy last night, I drove to Pacific High School Auditorium, where the graduation stage and chairs were still lined up from last Friday's eve event, this time to celebrate the end of the school year with Driftwood Elementary Band. I almost didn't go. After all, the school had hired a new music teacher just last fall, and there had not really been a band in the past years.


Our Song Along the Driftwood Shore
We are pleased to present a selection of vocal and instrumental pieces with a special performance media presentation.

They, k-8 students, rocked the house last night, from ballet movements of the lower grades to a jazzy band of the upper grades who could play  anything given them, including a piece they wrote, arranged and expertly "taught" the audience how they put the piece together.
Many children had  solo parts, both as presenters and as performers.

The talented  piano/voice of Nathan Malamud received special recognition.

Would you believe these band members have only been practicing together for one year?

 Way to go, Driftwood.

 The house was filled with families and community members like myself, enjoying the dances, the music, and even a film written, acted, and produced by the 4th/5th grade media class.

Kudos to the performers and to Mr Morganti, the music teacher and director of all productions, who harnessed the talent and imagination of the children through hard work, practice and sheer joy that comes when a job is well done and shared easily.

Indeed! Every child was enjoying himself/herself, and family members beamed the whole time. I felt transported to the times my own children were young and in school productions. But this performance didn't take place in a big school, with a big budget and hundreds of parents with special skills.

I close with a quote from Mr. Morganti on the back of the program:
"...We have found Port Orford to be a warm, honest place that values quality education for its young people..."

Our thanks to Mr. Morganti, staff and support groups, who value education and their young people to see that the arts and all academic areas are of high quality.



Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Meme of the Moment


Tessa from An Aerial Armadillo has tagged me for this Meme of the Moment.


1. What is your current obsession?

Staying healthy, getting back the use of my arm which became waylaid during a bout of bursitis.


2.Which item of clothing do you wear often?

Rain gear, followed by sturdy shoes and wind/chill repellents. I do "dress up" when I chair the local Board of Education. That's when I bring out my business suits, and my dressy shoes. You wouldn't recognize me.


3.What's for dinner?

We are on our third week of re portioning and recalibrating our food, since hubby has been declared diabetic and our diet must change or else. I cook by impulse, making something with whatever is available, but I do stock a big freezer and a walk-in pantry. For tonight's dinner we'll be having roasted citrus halibut with wilted greens from the garden and a fruit/ricotta compote for dessert. The halibut will have been just a few hours off the Pacific. Our fishing fleet sometimes has extra fish they sell locally. The rest is sold live, yes LIVE, to restaurants.


4.What are you listening to?

I'm a blues/jazz lover. I just put Ella Fitzgerald on. My daughter and her husband are in the music business. For Christmas, I used to ask for collections, and they would make it happen for me, selecting and mixing in their studio. Of course, I listen to their own group, The Comforters, in live concert situations as often as I can. ( check them out at http://www.feelthecomforters.com/)


5.Say something to the one that tagged you.

Tessa, I'm honored for this activity, and I'm pleased to know you and the blog mates you and I have encountered. I met you through Angela, I think. I admire your spirit, your taste, and the enchanting power of your storytelling. Thank you for your interest in my life.


6.Favorite vacation spot?

Venice. It has mystique, history, intrigue, art, architecture, music and fashion to dazzle the eyes and the soul. It is truly a one of a kind spot on earth.


7. What I'm reading right now?

Anne Michaels, Fugitive Pieces; and Arthur Schlesinger, Jr. A Life in The 20th Century. I tend to have a fiction, and a non fiction by my bedside.


8. Four words to describe myself.

Curious, adventurous, caring, stubborn.


9.Guilty pleasure.

I'm dreaming of owning a sport car. In the meantime, I scour adv. pages, looking for such a deal. My ideal: a 450 SL Mercedes convertible, red, hardtop and soft top.


10. First Spring thing?

Working in the garden that is not soaked. This week we got the tiller out and work done to prepare our vegetable garden.


11. (This is question I've reworked) What do you look forward to?

I have been writing memoir pieces. My wish is to get something ready for publication, and see something in print before I die. I know people in their eighties busy with their writing, too. I hope not to get discouraged by the lovely competition.


Now it's my turn to tag 8 others to do the same; respond to the questions,rework those you need to rework, replace, add, and tag 8 others.


Lola-from Aglioolioepeperoncino


Angela-Lettersfromusedom


Cheryl-Lizzyfrizzfrock


Meredith-Thethingswecarried


Marc-Marclaurels


Lori-Loritimesfive


Renee-Circlingmyhead


Natalie-Musingsfromthedeep


Thanks again, Tessa, for this opportunity.