A Quiet Week

This past week was pretty quiet and uneventful for the most part.  Several students (including mine) were in Edmonton taking part in a trade skills competition and wouldn't be back until the 18th.  And there were others 'playing hooky' (or sleeping in) and not bothering to show up to class.  It's tough when you're competing with the weather.  Speaking of weather, Iqaluit has been experiencing extended periods of sunlight.  Daylight no longer disappears completely; night is more like constant dusk.  I'm guessing that in a few weeks, daytime will be constant. 

            

The feeling of having to deal with 24-hour sunshine brings back old memories of my family trip to the Yukon back in 1997.  It was quite a challenge for all of us to fall asleep; we had to close all the hotel blinds and face away from the windows.  I do a bit of that now but not to an extreme.  Since then, I have often wondered what the world would be like if the days were longer than 24 hours?  How would a 30 hour day work?

            

Speaking of work, I have been keeping myself busy preparing final exams.  Naturally, all my music classes will have performance tests.  My grade 10s will also have to deal with a theory test.  The performance marking sheets are done; it's just the theory test that needs to be written.  As for Grade 11 English, I'm still researching on what I can put together for a final exam.  All final examinations begin on the second week of June.        

             

The last unit of the semester for my Grade 11 English students is a film study.  I decided to have them watch and analyze the 1988 film Stand & Deliver.  This American drama film is based on the true story of Jaime Escalante, an East Los Angeles high school math teacher.  In the 1980s, he successfully prepared his students to take & pass the difficult AP Calculus placement test, which awards students with college credit.  However, conflict arises when the Education Testing Service questions the validity of the scores due to similar errors but Escalante believes that it's because of the students' race and economic status.  I won't spoil the ending but I will say it's a good film.  My students will finish the film unit this coming week.  After that, it's review.

            

For senior music, my students received three new pieces: The Final Countdown by Europe, Mister Cool by Mike Steinel, and Cartoon Symphony arranged by Larry Clark.  The Final Countdown is a popular 1980s rock song and it was requested by one of my students.  Since the original song was written for electric guitars, drums, and synthesizers, I had to rearrange the entire piece for a brass & reed ensemble.  On top of that, I also had to transpose my arrangement to the key of D Minor because the original F Sharp Minor version proved too difficult.  I chose D Minor because the key makes the song sound like it was written during the Middle Ages.  

Arranging can be just as difficult as composing.  If you have a large group of players, as was the case for me, then you need to make sure that everyone has a part to play.  Sometimes, the original composition may not provide enough parts for a larger ensemble, meaning you have to write an accompaniment yourself, be it a harmony or counter melody.  In my case, I only had to write one: a simple counter melody for the second clarinet.     

Mister Cool is a jazz piece specifically written for student jazz ensembles.  I assigned the demonstration solo to one of my flute players.  And Cartoon Symphony is a compilation medley, sampling many favourite Warner Brothers cartoon themes.

            

My Grade 10s only received one new piece to learn: Louie Louie. Written by Richard Berry, the song was originally recorded by The Kingsmen back in 1963.  It's a very simple tune, revolving around three primary chords, one being repeated. 

            

The Victoria Day Weekend was dominated by cadets.  Two practices were held on Saturday & Monday.  On Saturday, while walking to the high school to collect my drumming equipment, the Iqaluit fire station was holding a fundraising car wash for Team Arctic.  Operating as an effective chain: one firefighter directed traffic; several firefighters soaped, scrubbed, and hosed the dirty vehicles; and one firefighter gave the vehicles a final high powered rinse using the hose that was attached to the main fire truck.  The long line up of vehicles was to be expected considering there isn't any other car washing facilities in town.      

            

At the air cadet hall, my drummers and I went over the entire demonstration many times, practicing & perfecting every detail.  If all goes well, it'll be the most electrifying two minutes of the Annual Ceremonial Parade, scheduled to take place on Saturday, May 26.  It's starting to look like the parade will be around two hours long because of team demonstrations and the handing out of awards.

            

And to conclude, there were short periods of snowfall on Sunday & Monday.  It's a far cry from the type of weather that southern Canadians are currently experiencing - a bright sun & plus 20 degree temperatures.