Ferndale High School News
The orchestra is practicing their commisioned composition. Read a sneak peek, and stories about 4th grade camp, book club, teachers of the year, high school & college dual enrollment grads, and more!
It is with great excitement that I share an update on the Ferndale Orchestra's commissioned piece. Commissioning an original composition is a unique opportunity for a performance group. Thanks entirely to private donations and the help of OrchSupport and Ferndale Schools Fine Arts Boosters, the Ferndale Orchestra program was able to commission composer Costas Dafnis to compose an original composition for the orchestra to be performed at the Ferndale High School Spring Orchestra Concert.
I received delivery of the piece on Monday and today was the first ever play through of the piece. I tried to impress upon the symphony orchestra students what a unique experience this was. The very first time that this piece of music had ever been played into existence by actual instruments was what they played in class today. Before then it had existed only as a collection of dots and lines on a page, as an idea in the composers head, or as an electronically generated sound file from a computer. I wonder if they truly grasp how cool that is. Or maybe I'm just geeking out as a music teacher. :)
The piece is entitled "Like Planted Hearts" and composer Costas Dafnis drew inspiration from the wedding poem that J.R.R. Tolkien (author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy among other things) wrote for his wife Edith on their wedding day.
Lo! Young we are and yet have stood
like planted hearts in the great Sun
of Love so long (as two fair trees
in woodland or in open dale
stand utterly entwined and breathe
the airs and suck the very light
together) that we have become
as one, deep rooted in the soil
of Life and tangled in the sweet growth.
The students will continue to rehearse the piece in preparation for it's public performance debut at our spring orchestra concert on May 21st at 7 pm in the FHS Auditorium. We invite everyone to come be a part of this special once in a lifetime opportunity.
If you would like to be a part of this project in a more tangible way, we are still accepting donations to go towards the cost of the commission. Donations of $15 and above will be thanked personally in the program. For more details on how to donate please contact me.
April showers bring may flowers, but what do may flowers bring? May flowers bring learning gardens, not to mention home-grown leaders at the state, national and international level in music, marketing, robotics, diversity, and more. Read about all of them in the e-blast!
We have an extra fun e-blast to lead into the long weekend. This issue includes Middle School honors, robotics leaders, poets on the street (literally), and a live sheep!
This eblast features a Spring Break recap, including a big Winterguard win and a trip to Panama and Costa Rica. We also ha stories about healthy cooking, ecology, community leadership, a student PSA, and more!
The City of Ferndale declared April 16th, 2019 as “Education and Sharing” day! Education and Sharing Day will honor the legacy of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson. Rabbi Schneerson believed in the potential of all persons and sought to empower young people through education, character development, and civic pride.
Rabbi Herschel Finman stopped by to visit Ferndale Schools Superintendent Dania Bazzi and share the good news about the proclamation.
Continue Reading for the full proclamation.
The Ferndale High School Winter Guard are state champs for the second consecutive year. A huge thank you goes out to Coach Batsios and Coach McKenzie for leading our students to another victory. The Winter Guard also finished with a perfect season, finishing first in all 3 regular season competitions. Congratulations!
Winterguard heads to SVSU for competition, Eagles of the Year are honored, a student athlete signs to Albion, and guest readers wrap-up reading month. Plus news on robotics, bel canto choir, high school engineers, and SECOND GRADE DOCTORS?
Congratulations to FHS Senior Keelen Lucas who has officially committed to Albion College to continue his education and play basketball!
The FHS Bel Canto Choir attended the MSVMA Choir Festival at Walled Lake Central High School last week and received all 1s (excellent rating). Way to go!
Robotics rolls forward, winterguard wins again, a musician plays masterfully, a Ferndale fireman reads to friends, and more. Happy Friday!
Outstanding students made the news this week in orchestra, marketing, and robotics. A principal was taped to the wall...for a good cause. And so much more.
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