Laudamus Te

At Term 2 Recitation, the Junior and Senior Secondary Schools Choir performed "Laudamus Te" for the finale.  This is a recording from the dress rehearsal the day before.  (Thanks Liz!) It is in Latin, which our students did a great job of learning.  Props to Richard for beefing up the men's section and to Julie for her excellent piano skills.  I think all of us enjoyed working on this song.  Happy listening!

The Organ

Meet Mr. Dickson.  He kindly took his Friday afternoon to meet my Class 5 students and introduce them to the organ at All Saints Cathedral in downtown Nairobi.

Meet the organ.

Mr. Dickson told us the history of the organ, put on his organ shoes, and climbed on up onto the bench, inviting the students to come as close as possible.

He played several of the different sounds and showed the students how the stops work.

While we crowded in, Mr. Dickson played for us.

Finally, we got a really great look at the pipes and how they work

from behind!

This supplies the air to the pipes so you don't have to pay someone to work the bellows like olden times.

The organ truly fills up the whole church with a beauty and grandeur that I am so grateful my students could experience in person.

Up From The Grave

This is Class 5, during Music Class, singing their new favourite Easter song, "Up From The Grave He Arose."  The kindergarten teacher was kind enough to video through the window so I could play the piano.  Apparently the students love this song so much, they went back and taught it to their cottages complete with the slow, sad beginning and standing up with joyful singing for the end.  May we always be willing to share the good news of Christ's saving work on the cross and resurrection from the dead with such joy!  Happy Easter!

Choir Concert

We had our very first official Choir Concert last Friday afternoon. Both choirs performed for the rest of the students in the school, the teachers and staff, Mommas of the cottages, the Home Office who happened to be traveling through and a few guardians of community students. I am so very proud of our students and the hard work and extra hours they have practiced to prepare this recital. It truly was a concert of praise to our heavenly Father and you can hear the joy in the students' voice.

 

This is a video of the Primary School Choir, made of 30 students grades 4-6, singing a capella "A Canon of Praise."  They were so happy when all was said and done! 

This is a video of the Junior and Senior Secondary School students singing an arrangement of "Simple Gifts" with "Canon in D" accompanied by our great friend Julie.  She didn't laugh in my face or hit me or stomp on my toe or anything when I gave her the music just a week ago.  She should have, but she didn't.  Anyway, this is also about 30 students with Richard in the back helping the "man sound" as we have started calling the guys' section.

When everything was over, Richard pulled the choir members outside for me to talk to privately.  I called them all around in a serious voice and said I had something to share.  Then I jumped up and down and shrieked for joy and did a happy dance.  They just grinned and grinned. Now that the students have the feeling of a concert under their belt, I think they will be ready for many more to come.  So will I.



Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Remember Christmas?  And how we slaughtered and skinned three goats?  Well, their skins have been drying by our burn pit for a month. 

At first, the smell was kind of rank.  All of the neighborhood animals came to investigate.  The resident Kite (like a big hawk) could be seen standing on the middle skin, obviously scheming how it could fly away with its prize.  Thankfully, the skins stayed safe, and are now on their way to the tanner/drum maker.

He will prepare the skins, and then stretch them over a suitable container. Using more skin, he'll stitch the two sides together.  This is one goaty drum.

They come in all sizes.

They come in all brands of toxic chemicals.

They come in all shapes.

Some are more decorative then others.

But the point is: by February, we'll have almost a complete class set of goat drums!  I can't wait.



If I Were A Butterfly

The last two weeks we have facilitated GAMES (like VBS) for the resident children.  I, of course, have been responsible for music, and when I tried to draw a bird on the board today, I was informed by many children that they were glad I did not teach art.  Maybe it was supposed to be an abstract bird, people!  Anyway, the following video is one of the songs that I taught them.  This is a mixed age group, from class 1 to class 6.  Enjoy!