Downs Junior School Music - News

Music Website

27/7/2020

Dear Downs Junior School,

This website will no longer be actively updated, but it will remain live for the foreseeable future.

I have been overwhelmed with gratitude in recent weeks. I would like to thank the community for the beautiful and thoughtful messages, cards, gifts and vouchers I have received, including the wonderful live and recorded performances of special songs. I feel truly touched and I will miss you all greatly.

Take good care of yourselves. Wishing you the best possible summer and a happy and healthy future.

Musical regards,

Miss Rusbatch

DJS YouTube Video Premiere TODAY

15/7/2020

At 2.30pm today, there will be a live premiere of a special video, that has been made by Miss Rusbatch, and is dedicated to the Downs Junior School Community. The video will be available to watch after the premiere too. Enjoy.

WK 12 - A Message for You

13/7/2020

Dear Downs Junior School Children and Families,

As this is the last full week of the academic year, I have written a short message and poem. I will be uploading something else later in the week, so keep your eyes peeled. There is also a song for you to listen to, sing and dance along to this week.

The most important message from me to you, is one of thanks. I cannot begin to express the amount of gratitude I feel toward the Downs Junior School community. I feel so lucky to have worked in a job I adore, at a school I love, in a city that oozes creativity. I will miss you all immensely. LET'S CELEBRATE THE MEMORIES!

Click here to visit the WEEK 12 MUSIC PAGE

Wk 11 - OCEANS

5/7/2020

This week, it's going to get stormy (musically) - your challenge is to create artwork inspired by the piece of music on the Home Learning Week 11 page. Check it out HERE.

Home Learning - Music Inspired by INSECTS

30/6/2020

Whether you love them or hate them, insects are an essential part of the Earth's ecology. Without our little pollinators we' would struggle to survive for long. Even the dreaded wasps should be spared a swotting, as they are crucial in spreading pollen from plant to plant.

So I've created a list for you, to enjoy insects in the habitat of classical music: I hope you get bitten (and smitten) by the bug! I've also added a silly song called ANTS IN MY PANTS at the bottom of the page and a rap I wrote in 2009 about dung beetles rolling a big ball of poo! HAVE FUN.

Online Music - Sports Day & Home Choir

21/6/2020

It would have been sports day at Downs Junior School this week. In the hope that some of you may be planning your own sports day at home, or in your local park, please also include your own opening ceremony and sing and dance to Waka Waka (This Time for Africa).

Follow the link for more information about this week's Sports Day musical challenge.

Online Music - Home Choir

8/6/2020

During this time of uncertainty and unrest, due to COVID-19 and the Black Lives Matter movement, the home choir page will be sharing empowering songs to learn and sing at home. The lyrics of these songs carry important messages. SING YOUR BEAUTIFUL HEARTS OUT KIDS.

Online Music Week 6 (Australia)

31/5/2020

Visit the Home Learning Week 6 web page to discover this week's challenge. Good luck and have fun.

Online Music Week 5 (songwriting / jingle)

17/5/2020

WEEK 5

This week's activity challenges you to write your own song or anthem based on the topic Our City: Brighton & Hove. Click here for more details.

Online Music Week 4 (body percussion)

10/5/2020

WEEK 4

Click here to see this week's music challenge instructions.

Online Music Week 3

4/5/2020

WEEK 3

Home Learning for Music Week 3 is now LIVE
Click here to learn more about this week's challenges and activities.

Creative Community

2/5/2020

Ex-pupil Ernie (now in Year 7), and winner of the Battle of the Bands 2019 has written, recorded and uploaded his own song about the extinction of endangered animal species.

Keep singing Ernie !

Hendrix (Year 3) and his Dad (DJ-1) have mixed and produced a 10-track electronic/house music album, in an effort to raise money for the NHS. Click here for more information.

Brighton Festival Children's Parade

30/4/2020

This Saturday (2nd) May would have been the Children's Parade and the official opening of the Brighton Festival 2020. Due to social restrictions, you can instead get involved AT HOME!

Whether you want to conga around your kitchen, wave a flag from your window, blow a whistle from your balcony, shimmy in your sitting room or dress-up on your doorstep – there is no set theme and anything goes!

For more information, click here.

Lenny's Beats and Grooves

30/4/2020

Lenny in Year 6 has been using some of his time at home to practise his skills on drum kit. Below is a recording of his drumming. Amazingly, Lenny only started learning to play drum kit last year. He is also a talented guitarist and should have performed in the Battle of the Bands Final in March 2020. Listening to this recording, I have no doubt that Lenny's exciting musical journey is only just beginning and we look forward to seeing (and hearing) when his journey takes him in the future.

(Can't Stop by Red Hot Chili Pappers)

If you have a drum kit at home and you'd like to learn some fills, rhythms and grooves to accompany the same song as Lenny (Can't Stop by Red Hot Chili Peppers), have a look at this tutorial video (from www.learnsomedrums.com).

If you don't have a drum kit at home, maybe you could create a kitchen-kit using wooden spoons, pots and pans.

To learn more about drum kit tuition at Downs Junior School, visit the Drum Kit web page and contact our teacher, Lawrie Miller.

Please note, the Brighton & Hove Music & Arts service are currently offering online instrumental and vocal tuition. Click here to find out more.

Online Instrumental Lessons in Brighton & Hove

30/4/2020

Brighton and Hove Music and Arts are offering online instrumental and vocal lessons.
For more information, follow this link: https://www.bhma.org.uk/online-lessons

Our in-school guitar teacher Tom Butterworth is also offering online tuition.
Contact him for more information.