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A Welcome Song and a Cute Bear

Oct 31, 2019
 

If you’ve been to any of our classes, you will recognize our class mascot, Bear-lioz the polar bear.  And have you spotted him in our logo yet? He is named after French Romantic composer Hector Berlioz



Bear-lioz greets the kids each class with a welcome song, and bids them farewell at the end of class with a goodbye song. 

If you’re having “music time” at home, it is nice to begin with a familiar welcome song.  It will be a cue that it’s time to transition from whatever is going on and start music! Feel free to come up with your own "Welcome Song", or use ours! 

Welcome friends it’s time for music, welcome friends it’s time for fun.

Singing, dancing, great composers, music is for everyone!

Bear-lioz’ welcome song is based on Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” melody which is found in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, in the 4th movement.  Sing it through a few times each day, and your little one will be singing with you in no time. They will love the song before they even know it’s based on one of the most famous classical works of all time.  I’ll bet their eyes light up when they hear Beethoven’s” Ode to Joy” and recognize it as their welcome song!  And in a few years when they start taking piano lessons they'll recognize it again, as it makes an appearance in just about every beginning piano method book!

Here is a good recording if you’d like to listen to listen to the whole Symphony.  

Here is just the 4th movement. (The familiar melody starts at minute 3:15.)

And if anyone is like me and loves a good flash mob, check this one out!

(I’m just over here with my Kleenex.  Please tell me I’m not the only one who teared up watching the little kids conducting!!)

Hope you have a musical minute today!

-Kathryn and Elizabeth

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