Lastest news about our marimba group!!

So, here we are again, after 2 beautiful concerts. 

The last days, our marimba players performed for so many people in different places... I am sure that we are sending the message through the music: happiness, love, joy...

The first one took place on HARPA, the brand new Concert Hall and Conference Center in Reykjavík on the 7th of May.  We had the chance to play for many important people of the country on this day, and we are very proud of this!!

And the next concert was on the 11th of the same month in the Church of Akureyri. This was a special evening because the week of Arts was going on in the town those days.

Five marimba groups from north of Iceland showed many great songs and performances, Giljaskóla (2 groups),Oddeyrarskóli, Húsavík and Hafralækjarskóli, and it was clear that the audience was very pleased with the music, giving us the felling that we are on the right way!

Thanks to everybody on the concert, and enjoy some vídeos and pictures!!

                                                                 Preparing the stage...

Warming up...

...and rocking!!!

Check out the video of Botsotsi:

The day was sunny, the weather was fine... and everybody were happy.

Thank you for one more concert my friends!!

Nótan 2011- Part II

We did it!! That was awesome! The kids played soooooo well, jumping, feeling the music, happiness, just like music has to be! And not just our kids, many others perfomed like masters! I would not like to be in the skin of the judges, because all of players, soloists, bands, orchestras were amazing, and  choosing just few of them sounds like unfair, and that is the bad part of contests.

But in our point of view all the performances were victorious and gave us some kind of hope about the music future and also human future. We are proud of our students and we are proud of our mates, music teachers who are doing a great effort passing the vibe of music.

But let's skip the chat and see our pupils!!

 More photos here and here!

The video of the marimba's number

The day after, all the winners were recording and giving interviews for the icelandic TV channel Rúv.

So, let's keep going with the good work guys and prepare yourselves for the next challenge! Congratulation everybody involved who support this beatifull days!

Nótan 2011

On the 19th of March, the Marimba players from Hafralækjarskóli went to Eskifjörður playing for a place in the big final of the National Icelandic music contest called Nótan. The first part was a regional eliminatory for the north and east.

After a lot of practice and work, here is the result:

The day was amazing, if you do not think about the road conditions because of the snowing, of course... :) And their performance was quite remarkable I shall say!

Now, the next step is Reykjavík on the 26th, but we should feel proud of what we have done so far, we are victorious!!

Many talented kids from different places like Reyðarfjörður, Fáskruðsfjörður, Stöðvafjörður, Akureyri, Dalvík, Seyðsfjörður, Húsavík and of course Hafralækjarskóli.

Receiving the trophy, full of emotions!

A nice video made by Einar Bragi music teacher in Seyðisfjörður. Thanks Einar!

Many many thanks specially to the parents who drove the kids and helped to carry all that heavy marimbas, and Harpa, the head master for the support! 

The next post will be from Reykjavík, so see you there and wish us good luck!!

Öskudagur!!

" It was a typical day, you woke up, took your breakfast, read some emails, brushed your theeth, put your usual and boring clothes and go to work. But when you come in the school everything turned into a different world. There are no kids, there are no teachers, except for some grown-ups. Instead of this you see strange criatures, colorful creatures, beatiful creatures and then you realize- What the heck is going on?? Then everybody in choir sings - It is Öskudagur Today!!!"

Yes, definitely Öskudagur is a very funny day for maaaaaany people, as you can see below some of the kids, sorry teachers:

Left to right: Jackie Sparow, The Boss (definitely!!!!), Punky Brewster, Lady Arlequim, Plumber Guy,  Don't Let me Clown- down: Sonia Gandhi and Fakat Face

Oh my goodness!! Karius og Baktus!!

 At the lunch time!!

The best picture ever!! 

Þorrablót 2011

Music can make you feel like being in another place. On this night everyone of us got different feelings. Can you imagine how is it to feel the sunshine throught the Japanese cherry flowers, feel the fresh air at the Ganges River, stand in front of a great big Icelandic volcano and see the fireworks, or even take a sunbath at a beautifull beach in Brazil, all of that in just one night?? Well, we did it! Enjoy the show!

Unglingastig playing "Samba Batucada"

Miðstig playing "Zimbabwe"

Yngstastig singing "Eldur"

Miðstig playing chinese song on the marimbas

Latin Night in Ólafsfjörður

What a great night guys!! Last Wednesday, the 23rd  of February, the Miðstig Kór was singing in Ólafsfjörður,  an adorable town in Northeast of Iceland. What did they sing? Well...Check it out by yourself!!

 This rhythm is a mix of Baião (Northeast Brazil) and Capoeira Music (a dance-fight brought by african slaves in the 16th Century) made by the students. Paranauê Paranauê Paraná!!

Here you can check out how the Capoeira was played long time ago... (Movie scenes from "Besouro The Movie") 

 This song is called "Xodó" and the rythm is Forró from Northeast of Brazil.

 This song is called "Anoiteceu" and the rythm is marchinha de carnaval (Carnival March).

So, the whole concert was dedicated to latin rhythms, some Icelandic songs was adapted to be played into this rhythms.We hope you enjoy the videos! Thank you everybody who was involved on this day, in special the headmaster of the music school in Ólasfjörður Magnus, Harpa our kind head master and of course, the stars... ALL THE STUDENTS!!

Kindergarden´s Concert for grandparents

On the 25th of November, kids from Kindergarden, first and second grade perfomed 3 songs for their grandparents. That was really a fun day, we got together with the families, we sang, danced and in the end of the party everybody enjoyed a delicious cofee with cakes, muffins, breads...Nami nami!!!
The kids sang the famous "Kye Kye Kule" and "Simama Ka", both songs from Africa. This songs are kind of  kids joke, so they sing and can make movements as far as the songs go. Also you can sing it in different ways to make it more fun, like start soft, then strong, screamming etc.
Kye Kye Kule video and lyrics:


"Kye Kye Kule
Kye Kye Kofisa
Kofisa Salanga
Salatilanga
Kumayede"

Simama Ka pictures and lyrics:

"Simama Ka Simama Ka (clap)
Ruka Ruka Ruka (jump)
Simama Ka (clap)
Tembea Tembea, Tembea Tembea (walk)
Ruka Ruka Ruka (jump)
Simama Ka (clap)
Tembea Kimbia Tembea Kimbia (dance)
Ruka Ruka Ruka (jump)
Simama Ka (clap)

A version of how african kids do it:


Other way to make Kye Kye Kule:


The last song was "Ég elska blómin" wich in icelandic means "I love the flowers".
Picture and lyrics:

"Ég elska blómin
Ég elska liljurnar
Ég elska fjöllin
Ég elska brekkurnar
Ég elska varðeldinn
Þegar húmar að
Búmdídíjatsí
Búmdídíjatsí
Bumdídíjatsí
Bumdídíjatsí
Bum"

You can sing this song in english if you want:
"I like the flowers
I like the daffodils
I like the mountains
I like the rolling hills
I like the fireside when the lights are low
Búmdídíjatsí..."

This song was found in this icelandic web site.

Thanks again all the staff whom trasported kids from the school to kindergarden, in special Benzí and Harpa. Thanks to our very very special guests, Rut who took this pictures and made the video and Héðinn Mari who played djembe with Mauricio.

The band!!

All the kids together and Kelly: