Music Lesson Policy:
This is a gentle reminder to all parents/guardians of learners who receive Music Tuition at The Grove to please sign the Music Lesson Policy and return it back to your child's teacher as soon as possible.
Please contact me if you have not received a copy of Music Lesson Policy from your child's teacher.
Communication:
If your child receives Music Lessons at The Grove, or is involved in an ensemble, it is imperative that you check the Parent Portal, "Music News" section on a weekly basis. I will post all Music Updates on this platform, and send out a notification on our Whatsapp Community as well. We have been receiving numerous emails enquiring about matters that have already been communicated either via a letter sent home, or on this platform. As the core part of our job is to teach, it becomes difficult to attend to all emails timeously. I thank you for cooperation in this regard.
If your child is part of an ensemble, in addition to joining our WhatsApp Music community, please also join the relevant Music Ensemble group for specific communication pertaining to that ensemble.
Ensembles/Extra-Mural Schedule:
Senior Choir - 07:20 - 07:55 Hall (Mrs Van Der Speck)
Junior Choir - 14:00 - -14:45 Hall (Mrs Green)
Please note that follow ups were done during the past week for outstanding reply slips. If we haven't received your reply slip OR you have not communicated with Mrs Green that your child will be joining Junior Choir this week, and committed to returning the reply slip this week, then the spot will be filled by another child.
If your child is a member of the Junior Choir and you haven't already done so, please join the "Junior Choir" WhatsApp group in the Music WhatsApp Community. Joining the group is the best way for you to receive updates pertaining to the Choir. Please also be reminded to email Mrs Green of any absences. (jillgreen@thegrove.co.za).
Music & Movement - 14:00 - 14:30 Hall
Please note that the Music and Movement class is full. There is currently a waiting list. Please email Mrs Green if you would like your child to be placed on the waiting list.
Please DO NOT send your child to the class unless you have signed up for the class or have been emailed by Mrs Green to confirm the placement of your child in the class.
If your child is a member of the Music and Movement class and you haven't already done so, please join the "Music and Movement' WhatsApp group in the Music WhatsApp Community. Joining the group is the best way for you to receive updates pertaining to the Ensemble. Please also be reminded to email Mrs Green of any absences. (jillgreen@thegrove.co.za).
Recorder Ensemble - 07:15 - 07:45 Singing Room (Mrs A Meyer)
Boomwhacker Ensemble - 07:15 - 07:45 Singing Room (Mr Foster) -
Junior Marimbas - 14:20 - 15:05 Singing Room (Miss Keera Kirsty; Marimba Jam)
Orff Ensemble - 07:15 - 07:45 Singing Room - Please note that Orff Ensemble is now full and you will no longer be able to register for the class online.
Should your child be interested in joining Orff Ensemble whenever a spot opens up, please email Mrs Green (jillgreen@thegrove.co.za) and your child will be placed on a waiting list.
If your child is a member of Orff Ensemble and you haven't already done so, please join the "Orff Ensemble" WhatsApp group in the Music WhatsApp Community. Joining the group is the best way for you to receive updates pertaining to the ensemble. Please also be reminded to email Mrs Green of any absences. For any further questions, please email Mrs Green: jillgreen@thegrove.co.za
Junior Marimbas - 14:20 - 15:05 Singing Room (Miss Keera Kirsty; Marimba Jam)
Chamber Ensemble - 07:15 - 07:45 Singing Room (Mrs Van Der Speck)
Senior Choir - 12:45 - 13:30 Hall (Mrs Van Der Speck) -
Junior Choir - 12:30 - 13:15 Singing Room (Mrs Green)
String Ensemble - 13:30 - 14:00 Hall (Mr Matthijs Van Dijk) - Please note that String Ensemble will take place in the pavillion this week.
Senior Marimbas - 13:15 - 14:15 Singing Room (Miss Keera Kirsty; Marimba Jam) -
Kaapse Afrikaanse Eisteddfod:
A letter regarding the annual Kaapse Afrikaanse Eisteddfod will be communicated to all affected parents by your child's Music Teacher within the next week. Your child's teacher will provide all the necessary details such as the amount of pieces your child will be entered for, and the amount due. Please get in touch with me if you receive no communication regarding the Kaapse Afrikaanse Eisteddfod. Please note that it's up to your child's Music Teacher's discretion when deciding upon who to enter for this competition.
If you child participated in a Trinity exam at the end of last year; please send the certificate to school to hand to me. I will be handing out all Trinity Certificates at the next school Assembly. Please also share any external Music Achievements with me to allow me to acknowledge your child during an assembly.
Our annual Music Open Week for 2024 will take place from the 15th - 19th of April. More details regarding this to follow.
IP Assessments and Music Lessons:
With the IP phase's continuous assessment program and test week approaching, I know that there are some obvious concerns as to how it affects individual music lessons. Music Teachers have been asked to adjust their timetables, and where possible, move music lessons around to accommodate our IP learners writing assessments. Please note that this may not always be possible, especially when there are two assessments being written on one day, but we do our utmost best to try and squeeze in lessons when we can. Please also remember that our part-time teachers teach at various other schools, and cannot always come back on another day to reschedule a lesson. This being said, please be assured that music lesson quotas are always reached for the year. Thanking you in advance for your trust, understanding and cooperation in this regard.
I understand that the period leading up to assessments can be stressful for learners, and some learners prefer to remain in class to feel adequately prepared for an upcoming assessment and would rather not attend a Music Lesson. In a case like this, please communicate with your child's Music Teacher to inform the teacher that you are happy for your child to forfeit the music lesson for that day and that you do not expect the teacher to reschedule this lesson.
Please email me with any enquiries regarding this.
Marimbas:
We have received an exciting amount of applications for Junior Marimbas this year that we've decided to create 2 Junior Marimbas Ensembles for 2024! The two ensembles will rehearse on a Wednesday and a Thursday respectively from 14:20 - 15:05. You will be notified by Marimba Jam as to which group your child forms part of (they have already created WhatsApp Groups for each group). Please note that the "Thursday" and "Wednesday" group is now full.
Please note that no child will be allowed to attend Junior Marimba rehearsals if they are not signed up on the register. We had a few learners pitch up at Junior Marimbas last week who were not signed up; this puts pressure on Miss Keera Kirsty, as it interrupts her rehearsals and makes it difficult for her to ask them to leave.
Rising Stars Picnic Concert:
Please see attached above a letter regarding the upcoming Marimba Jam Concert; Rising Stars Picnic Concert. This letter provides all the necessary detail regarding this concert, and it involves both Junior Marimba ensembles and the Senior Marimba Ensemble. Please note that this not a school event, and completely managed by Marimba Jam. This means that Marimba Jam is responsible for the logistics and communication of the event and all learners involved will fall under the Marimba Jam Entity. A letter from myself regarding this will be communicated shortly.
Yours in Music
Mrs Van Der Speck