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!!

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:

Marimbas Concert in Menningarhúsið Hof

On the 29th of August, the group of marimbas Hafralækjarskóli played in the inauguration of the new culture house HOF, in Akureyri. It was a great moment where everyone could experience a little bit of the joy of African music on a beautiful sunny day. All who were present were touched by the performance of the students and wanted to know more about the magic of the sound of the marimbas. Thanks very much everyone present in the organization, students, and parents.

And after a lovely summer vacation, we are back... We would like to tell everyone that we have a new teacher in the school, Lisa McMaster. She will be teaching trumpet, flute, and singing!! Welcome Lisa.

Zimba Marimba Summer Camp 2010- Sweden

Happened between the 9th and 14th of August the third Zimba Marimba Summer Camp in Varberg-Sweden. A great event that brought together students, teachers and supporters of African music from around the world: Iceland, South Africa, Gambia, Guinea, United States, among others. Teachers and students from Hafralækjarskoli, Husavik and Akureyri participated. The camp was organized by Peta Axelson, mentor and director of the group of marimbas Zimba Marimba and Anna Forsvall Lundmark. Excellent workshops with masters of African music and dance: Sabar drums, Zimababwe dance, African marimba and djembe. We, the Hafralaekjarskóli teachers only have to thank for the great opportunity to meet so special people and having great moments where everyone, no matter where they come from, they had a common goal: learning and sharing. Moments like those remind us of how the world should be. Thanks Peta and friends!

Julia Tsitsi Chigamba: master dancer, singer and instrumentalist from Zimbabwe.

Sousou Cissoko: one of the rare female Kora player in the world.

Max Soumah: brilliant dancer from Guinea Conakry, West Africa.

Baboucar Camara: master of sabar drumming from Njawara.

Þorrablót

Þorrablót is an Icelandic midwinter festival that takes place in the month of Þorri, according to the Old Icelandic Calendar, which starts in late January and ends in late February. These festivals were started by Icelandic student associations in the latter half of the 19th century. The first one was reportedly organised by the association of Icelandic students in Copenhagen in 1873. Related to other nationalistic feasts invented in the 18th and 19th centuries, such as Burns night in Scotland, the Þorrablót is an evening with dinner where participants hold speeches and recite poems, originally to honour the Norse god Thor, after whom the month is presumed to be named. Calling the feast a blót (a feast held in honor of a god in Norse paganism) makes clear the reference to pagan times, which many nationalists of the 19th century considered a golden age of Icelandic history. Þorrablót soon caught on as a tradition in Iceland and these feasts were organised by many other associations, especially youth organisations and student associations, which were most actively involved in the independence movement. Today Þorrablót are common events among Icelanders everywhere and can be anything from an informal dinner with friends and family to large organised events with stage performances and an after-dinner dance. These large Þorrablót are usually arranged by membership associations, associations of Icelanders living abroad, and as regional festivals in the countryside. Bellow you can take a look on some Icelandic Traditional Songs performed by music students from Hafralækjarskóla!

Árshátið

In 2009, Árshátið's theme was the 60´s. All the revolution about human rights, women rigths, Cold War etc. So in these vídeos below you can take a look at the play where the students and the music department were together. The play was called "Bylting, Bólur og Bítl" was written by Ásta Svavarsdóttir.

All We Need is Love

Revolution

Choir singing Icelandic songs

Penny Lane

Black Bird

Christmas time in Barnaborg

Agla, Agnes, Hafrún & Enrice went to the playschool "Barnaborg" in the christmas time and played some christmas songs for the children there.

Every student played one song and so we played two songs together for them ! At the end was Agla playing the song "Bjart er yfir Bethlehem" which the kindergarden children were learning in the music-lessons with Enrice as well, so everybody could sing the song while Agla was playing it.

                                                  

Árshátið 2009

Last november, the 20th, we had the Árshátið, here in Hafralækjarskóli. This year the theme was The Beatles and the most important events in those years. The play " Bylting, bólur og bítl " written by Ásta Svavarsdóttir, presented the students in the acting and also in the band and choir.  It was a great moment for all of us, students and teachers team. Thank you very much all those who spent time reharsing and reharsing and made of that a beautiful moment.

There will be here, a video of the event, as soon as possible!!