Category: Music

Today at the Young People Concert the students had a special performance from Metaphor. These hip hop artists taught students about the history of Hip Hop and how they use their music to build community empowerment and social justice. Using the hip hop arts–DJing, Breakdancing, Beatboxing & Emceeing–the Metaphor crew had us free styling, beatboxing, and dancing during their energy filled performance. They were very inspiring and we are all now pumped to write our own raps.

If you have a bass guitar, guitar or ukulele and have been wanting to learn to play or improve your skills, join Fender for 3 months of free lessons online.  Link: Fender Play

On Friday at Young Peoples Concert we got to see the the Blues Berries perform. Their show was amazing and we all had lots of fun moving to the music.

We  learned about the history of blues music and more about the history of musical instruments. They told us how blues music originated in the deep south and was largely influenced by African American slaves. We learned that drums are very important in African culture and that drums are not only used to entertain people or to give rhythm to a song but are like the heart beat of their culture. However, before slavery was abolished African American slaves were banned from using or having drums. But this didn’t stop the slaves. They created their own instruments using wash boards, wash tubs, broom sticks and strings to create their music bringing with it some of the earliest blues music.  During their performance the Blues Berries performed a song using a bass guitar they created using a wash tub, long broom stick and string, tambourines, a wash board and a banjo and it sounded incredible.

We all learned about people who sang blues music and what their names were. We also learned about things that they did before singing and playing blues music.

DIY  make your own tambourine:

~Bottle Caps

~Two pieces of ribbon

~Two firm paper plates

~Hole puncher

~paint

Pick a bright, fun color for your tambourine. Turn the plates over to the backside and add a coat or two of paint. Continue adding more with a brush until the whole thing is covered evenly. Set aside to dry.

Place approximately 20 bottle caps inside one of the paper plates. After adding bottle caps, place the other plate on top. Hole punch roughly six to eight times around the edge of the two plates. Buy an interesting ribbon that matches or complements the previously chosen paint color. Cut a piece of ribbon for each hole made. Weave the ribbon through the holes, pull tight and tie a bow for added flair.

For more information on The Blues Berries visit: https://www.blues-berries.com/

Author: G. K.

This week students from Division 4 visited the Burnaby Village Museum to learn from Indigenous Educators about hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ and Sḵwxw̱ú7mesh history and culture. Using the First Peoples Principles of Learning, they explored the Indigenous Learning House and the Matriarch’s Garden at Burnaby Village Museum.

At today’s community gathering Div 9 students performed their rewritten version of Flo Rida’s song My house to remind everyone of Twelfth Avenues behaviour expectations for inside days.  They did an incredible job and should be very proud of their performance.  Well done Div 9!

Click on the link below and take and listen to see for yourself how they did.

It is said that before globalization, these instruments could only be found in Africa and where African descendants lived. Therefore, the thumb piano or kalimba as we know it in the West, is a modernized version of its African ancestors.  Just like the xylophone, it is deeply rooted in the continent’s culture.

Many tribes, all across the continent, have developed their own unique thumb pianos over the centuries. Because the languages and cultures of these tribes vary so much, so do the names and traditions of their instruments.

Using wood, bobby pins and craft supplies Div 9 students along with other students of Twelfth Avenue Elementary created their very own versions of the African thumb piano.  Check it out.