Greenwich Country Day School - Spire Yearbook (Greenwich, CT)

Page 72 text:

Dorothea Thompson Middle School Anxious Progress chart motivates music Under the supervision of Miss Thompson, a new outline for music study, known as the Pro- gress Chart, was introduced into the Middle School. A large staff was posted on the wall of the Middle School music room, and each line was separately labeled: effort, consideration and at- tention, note values and melodic dictation, rhyth- mic diction, key and tune signatures, and sight reading. As each class successfully completed the requirements on the different lines, the home- room teacher's name was added. This provided competition, great enthusiasm and quick incentive to learn the fundamentals of music. The primary and lower school participated in a program including melodic dictation fscale linesy, the writing of scales, the study and recog- nition of rhythms, reading from the board, note singing, and creative rhythms. The first exhibition of these new approaches to music was the annual Christmas sings which took place in the week before Christmas. The four and five year olds' program included solos, duets, and quartets, as did grades one and two. A trio composed of Ann Gibson, Gay Wilson, and Michelle Sutter, all second graders, partici- pated in the Upper School sing, pertly singing That's What I Want for Christmas . The Mid- dle School sing was more of a group endeavor, with the fifth grade chorus singing, While By My Sheepv, and grade three and four joining in Noel, Sing We Now . In accordance with GCDS' wish to give stu- dents every chance to display their musical tal- ents, voluntary soloists, quartets, or groups were given the opportunity to perform every Tuesday and Thursday at chapel. The response to this new idea was enthusiastic throughout both Low- er and Middle School. Both groups were busy perfecting their spring programs throughout the spring term. They were, when finally produced, centered on Around the World in Eighty Days, a theme similar to that of the previous year.

Page 71 text:

Sibyl Sanford and Alice Hieatt play the Minuet from Schubert's Fifth Symphony. Seventh Grade-M A Musical Group Wayne Kernochan and Jerry Harrison play. Seventh Grade Combo: Peter Scherman, guitarg Brett Hall, saxg Peter Brooks, pianog Stephen Brittain, trumpetg George Hagar, drumsg Bayne Chadsey, piano, not shown. 63

Page 73 text:

Choir Performs on Several Occasions Early in the first term the members of the choir were selected by Mr. Gledhill, Anxious moments preceded the announcement of these members, but once the list had been posted, those not included began to think of next year, while those who did manage to make the grade buckled down and determined to show them- selves worthy of the honor shown them. During the course of the school year, the choir, composed exclusively of seventh, eighth, and ninth graders, had four major programs for which to prepare. The first of these was the Christmas Sing. The many hectic rehearsals proved to be worthwhile, as any member of the choir would certainly attest. The choir sang two selections, the first of which, 'fHodie, Christus natus estv, was sung without accompaniment. The thrilling echo which could be heard on this anthem will not soon be forgotten, by either the members of the choir itself, or, we feel sure, the audience. The other selection sung by the entire chorus was 'iGlory to God in the Highest . A smaller group, composed almost exclusively of ninth graders, sang 'LO Nightingale, Awake and The Echo Carolf' The next event for the choir was the operetta. After some lengthy deliberation f'Iolanthe was 65 chosen. The principals for this production were Teri Towe, John Knowles, Ray Hornblower, Jim Kitendaugh, Whit Knapp, Irene Malozemoff, Carla Bowen, Cindie Lovelace, Taffy Fisher, Susie Symmers, and Eliza Conze. Only by per- sistent work, much-needed help from Mr. Gled- hill, and numerous rehearsals could this operetta have become a success, which, when finally produced, it indeed was. The sing on Field Day, May 30, was next on the agenda. This program consisted mostly of old 'favorites and a few novelty numbers performed by some of the more courageous students. Finally, and very appropriately, the choir had one last song to learn: the graduation anthem. The choir is a most memorable extra-curricular activity. It combines self-discipline with full-scale enjoyment, valuable experience with pleasure. Our appreciation goes to Mr. Gledhill, for his extraordinary patience and good nature through- out our upper school years. We feel that a valu- able footnote should be added here: the class of 1963 is the first to have spent all of its upper school years with Mr. Gledhill as its music teach- er. We take great pride in this distinction and it will stay with us much longer, perhaps, than some of the facets of music which he imparted to us.