Our 4th and 5th grade beginning band students at the North and West Intermediate Schools have been hard at work since September! They have learned how to assemble and care for their new instruments. Clarinets and saxes have discovered just how fragile reeds can be, and the trumpets have learned how to oil their valves correctly. Additionally, all of the students are working on the basics of producing sounds (some great and some…..less than characteristic) on their instruments and reading music. We’ve established a short repertoire list in these past 10 weeks, which includes “Hot Cross Buns” and “Rolling Along”. The melody for “Rolling Along” can also be recognized as the more popular “Mary Had A Little Lamb”.
Facts About Mary
Did you know that “Mary Had A Little Lamb” was first published in Boston in 1830 as poem by Sarah Josepha Hale? The text of this poem was inspired by a true life incident that took place when a young student, in Sterling, Massachusetts, named Mary Sawyer took her pet lamb to the Redstone School (now relocated to Sudbury, MA) as possible acceptance of a dare from her big brother. If you ever visit Sterling, MA be sure to stop by the town center where there is a statue of Mary’s little lamb, commemorating its school day adventure. Shortly after its publication, Lowell Mason (the father of music education) set this poem to a melody in the 1830’s and established its place forever amongst children’s nursery rhymes and songs.
Feast Your Ears
Below are several renditions of “Mary Had A Little Lamb” as performed by members of our beginning band classes.
Enjoy!!