Weiner Elementary
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      • 3rd 9 WEEKS >
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      • 4th Nine Weeks >
        • Tibet in Exile - INDIA
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        • WEINER!!!
    • YEARS 2 & 4 >
      • 1st Nine Weeks >
        • Memphis
        • Petra
        • Cinque Terre
        • Yosemite
        • Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany
        • Galapagos Islands
        • Keukenhof
        • Thorncrown Chapel
      • 2nd Nine Weeks >
        • Chicago
        • Machu Picchu
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        • The Dead Sea
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        • Christmas Week
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        • GREECE
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        • Chichen Itza
        • Palace of Versailles
        • Dubai
        • Cairo, Egypt
        • Freedom Tower / 911 Memorial
      • 4th Nine Weeks >
        • Barcelona, Spain
        • New York City
        • Angkor Wat, Cambodia
        • Terracotta Soldiers
        • Mount Rushmore
        • Parkin Archeological State Park
        • Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
    • Additional PLACES
  • Artists
    • YEAR 1 & 3 >
      • Artist of the Week - 1st 9-weeks >
        • Monet
        • Artisans of the Ozark Folk Center
        • Renoir
        • Wood
        • Rembrandt
        • O'Keeffe
        • Hokusai
        • da Vinci
        • Durer
        • Bierstadt
        • Adams and National Parks
      • Artist of the Week - 2nd 9-weeks >
        • Raphael
        • Munch
        • Rivera
        • Titian
        • Rockwell
        • El Greco
        • Constable
        • David
        • Christmas art
      • Artist of the Week 3rd 9-weeks >
        • Degas
        • Vermeer
        • Cassatt
        • Turner
        • Homer
        • Whistler
        • Seurat
        • Van Gogh
        • Disney
      • Artist of the Week 4th 9-weeks >
        • Sargent
        • Chagall
        • Kandinsky
        • Picasso
        • Dali
        • Remington
        • Mondrian
        • Pollock
    • YEAR 2 & 4 >
      • 1st Nine Weeks >
        • Chihuly
        • Moses
        • Durer and Line
        • Matisse and Shape
        • Van Eyck and Texture
        • Velazquez - Space
        • Christy - Constitution Day
        • Monet and Color
        • Rembrandt and Value
        • Art Review- 1st 9-weeks
      • 2nd Nine Weeks Art >
        • da Vinci and Drawing
        • Cassatt and Painting
        • Hokusai and printmaking
        • Picasso and Collage
        • Rivera and murals
        • Michelangelo and sculpture
        • Relief Sculpture
        • Rodin and modern sculpture
        • Schulz and cartooning
        • Van Allsburg and illustration
      • 3rd Nine Weeks Art >
        • Warhol and Pattern
        • Escher and positive negative space
        • Van Gogh and rhythm
        • O'Keeffe and scale/proportion
        • Caravaggio and Emphasis
        • Kandinsky and Variety
        • Cezanne and Balance
        • Art in ancient culture
      • 4th Nine Weeks Art >
        • Bruegel and genre
        • Illuminated manuscripts
        • Adams and photography
        • Wright and architecture
        • Seurat and art displaying
        • Toulouse-Lautrec and graphic art
        • Tiffany and decorative arts
        • Drake and crafts
        • New Media Art
    • Halloween Art
    • Veterans Day & Art
    • Thanksgiving art
    • Valentine's Day art
    • Presidents Day Art
  • Musicians
    • YEAR 1 & 3 >
      • 1st Nine Weeks >
        • Beethoven
        • Tribute to Aretha Franklin
        • Jimmy Driftwood
        • John Phillip Sousa
        • Claude Debussy
        • W. A. Mozart
        • John Williams
        • Idina Menzel
        • Amy Beach
        • Marching Bands
        • Carl Orff
        • William Grant Still
        • Scott Joplin
      • 2nd Nine Weeks >
        • Stephen Foster
        • Andrew Lloyd Webber
        • Johnny Cash
        • Aaron Copland
        • Musical Elements: Rhythm with Infinitus
        • Thanksgiving Music
        • Tchaikovsky
        • Handel
        • Johnny Marks
      • 3rd Nine Weeks >
        • Stephen Sondheim
        • Pentatonix
        • Sergei Prokofiev
        • Elton John
        • Louis Armstrong
        • Glen Campbell
        • Cher
        • The Gershwin Brothers
        • Henry Mancini
        • The British Invasion
        • Woody Guthrie
        • Dr. Seuss Music
        • Alan Menken
      • 4th Nine Weeks >
        • Florence Price
        • Yo-Yo Ma
        • George M. Cohan
        • Rimsky-Korsakov
        • Rodgers & Hammerstein
        • Antonio Vivaldi
        • Albert Ketelbey
        • Bette Midler
        • Gustav Mahler
        • Robert Rodriguez
        • Stevie Wonder
        • Carrie Underwood
        • Keith Urban
    • YEARS 2 & 4 >
      • 1st Nine Weeks >
        • Elvis Presley
        • Glen Campbell
        • Dolly Parton
        • Beach Boys
        • Richard Wagner
        • John Lennon
        • Camille Saint-Saens
        • Rossini
        • Mark Alan Springer
        • Review Week
        • Bobby McFerrin
        • Randall Standridge
      • 2nd Nine Weeks >
        • Chicago
        • J. S. Bach
        • Banjamin Britten
        • Leonard Bernstein
        • Ella Fitzgerald
        • One Voice Children's Choir
        • Christmas Around the World
        • Jingle Bells
      • 3rd Nine Weeks >
        • Bedrich Smetana
        • Disney Composers
        • Garth Brooks
        • Edgar Varese
        • Joni Mitchell
        • Frederic Chopin
        • Valentine's Day
        • Koji Kondo
        • Philip Glass
        • Lin-Manuel Miranda
        • Review Week
      • 4th Nine Weeks >
        • Marian Anderson
        • Johann Strauss, Jr. >
          • Johann Strauss, Jr.
        • John Denver
        • Moses Hogan
        • Barry Manilow
        • F. J. Haydn
        • Wynton Marsalis
        • Gloria Estefan
        • George Strait
        • Jake Shimabukuro
        • Yanni
  • CHARACTER WORDS
  • School of Innovation!
    • Laying a Foundation
    • Art Music Plan
    • It's OFFICIAL!
    • Rationale
    • Mission & Vision
    • ADE Approved Plan
    • Graphic Plan
    • Implementation Plan
  • Library
  • G./T.
  • National Blue Ribbon School Info
  • Parents' Page
    • Resources for Parents
  • Home
    • Blended Learning >
      • Kindergarten Blended Learning
      • 2nd Grade Blended Learning
      • 3rd Grade Blended Learning
      • 4th Grade Blended Learning
      • 5th Grade Blended Learning
      • 6th Grade Blended Learning
      • Digital Learning Blended
    • Mrs. Pam Hogue (Principal)
    • Weiner Elementary Calendar
    • What Makes Us Different!
    • School of Innovation SLIDES
    • S documents
  • Places
    • YEAR 1 & 3 >
      • 1st Nine Weeks >
        • Rio
        • Giant Sequoias
        • Great Wall of China
        • Mount Everest
        • Taj Mahal
        • Grand Canyon
        • Pyramids of Egypt
        • Stonehenge
        • Kyoto
        • Tokyo
      • 2nd 9 Weeks >
        • Venice
        • the Vatican
        • Crystal Bridges
        • Arlington National Cemetery
        • Cave of Crystals/Others
        • Westminster Abbey
        • Sydney Opera House
        • Seattle, Washington
        • Christmas Places
      • 3rd 9 WEEKS >
        • Westminster Palace/Parliament
        • Easter Island
        • ISS
        • Paris
        • Amazon Rainforest
        • Serengeti
        • Festivals!
        • Walt Disney World
        • Pompeii
      • 4th Nine Weeks >
        • Tibet in Exile - INDIA
        • Istanbul
        • Sri Lanka
        • Jerusalem
        • Washington D.C.
        • Florence
        • WEINER!!!
    • YEARS 2 & 4 >
      • 1st Nine Weeks >
        • Memphis
        • Petra
        • Cinque Terre
        • Yosemite
        • Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany
        • Galapagos Islands
        • Keukenhof
        • Thorncrown Chapel
      • 2nd Nine Weeks >
        • Chicago
        • Machu Picchu
        • Scandinavia
        • The Dead Sea
        • Rome
        • Beijing
        • Christmas Week
      • 3rd Nine Weeks >
        • GREECE
        • Mecca
        • Ireland
        • Moscow, Russia
        • Chichen Itza
        • Palace of Versailles
        • Dubai
        • Cairo, Egypt
        • Freedom Tower / 911 Memorial
      • 4th Nine Weeks >
        • Barcelona, Spain
        • New York City
        • Angkor Wat, Cambodia
        • Terracotta Soldiers
        • Mount Rushmore
        • Parkin Archeological State Park
        • Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
    • Additional PLACES
  • Artists
    • YEAR 1 & 3 >
      • Artist of the Week - 1st 9-weeks >
        • Monet
        • Artisans of the Ozark Folk Center
        • Renoir
        • Wood
        • Rembrandt
        • O'Keeffe
        • Hokusai
        • da Vinci
        • Durer
        • Bierstadt
        • Adams and National Parks
      • Artist of the Week - 2nd 9-weeks >
        • Raphael
        • Munch
        • Rivera
        • Titian
        • Rockwell
        • El Greco
        • Constable
        • David
        • Christmas art
      • Artist of the Week 3rd 9-weeks >
        • Degas
        • Vermeer
        • Cassatt
        • Turner
        • Homer
        • Whistler
        • Seurat
        • Van Gogh
        • Disney
      • Artist of the Week 4th 9-weeks >
        • Sargent
        • Chagall
        • Kandinsky
        • Picasso
        • Dali
        • Remington
        • Mondrian
        • Pollock
    • YEAR 2 & 4 >
      • 1st Nine Weeks >
        • Chihuly
        • Moses
        • Durer and Line
        • Matisse and Shape
        • Van Eyck and Texture
        • Velazquez - Space
        • Christy - Constitution Day
        • Monet and Color
        • Rembrandt and Value
        • Art Review- 1st 9-weeks
      • 2nd Nine Weeks Art >
        • da Vinci and Drawing
        • Cassatt and Painting
        • Hokusai and printmaking
        • Picasso and Collage
        • Rivera and murals
        • Michelangelo and sculpture
        • Relief Sculpture
        • Rodin and modern sculpture
        • Schulz and cartooning
        • Van Allsburg and illustration
      • 3rd Nine Weeks Art >
        • Warhol and Pattern
        • Escher and positive negative space
        • Van Gogh and rhythm
        • O'Keeffe and scale/proportion
        • Caravaggio and Emphasis
        • Kandinsky and Variety
        • Cezanne and Balance
        • Art in ancient culture
      • 4th Nine Weeks Art >
        • Bruegel and genre
        • Illuminated manuscripts
        • Adams and photography
        • Wright and architecture
        • Seurat and art displaying
        • Toulouse-Lautrec and graphic art
        • Tiffany and decorative arts
        • Drake and crafts
        • New Media Art
    • Halloween Art
    • Veterans Day & Art
    • Thanksgiving art
    • Valentine's Day art
    • Presidents Day Art
  • Musicians
    • YEAR 1 & 3 >
      • 1st Nine Weeks >
        • Beethoven
        • Tribute to Aretha Franklin
        • Jimmy Driftwood
        • John Phillip Sousa
        • Claude Debussy
        • W. A. Mozart
        • John Williams
        • Idina Menzel
        • Amy Beach
        • Marching Bands
        • Carl Orff
        • William Grant Still
        • Scott Joplin
      • 2nd Nine Weeks >
        • Stephen Foster
        • Andrew Lloyd Webber
        • Johnny Cash
        • Aaron Copland
        • Musical Elements: Rhythm with Infinitus
        • Thanksgiving Music
        • Tchaikovsky
        • Handel
        • Johnny Marks
      • 3rd Nine Weeks >
        • Stephen Sondheim
        • Pentatonix
        • Sergei Prokofiev
        • Elton John
        • Louis Armstrong
        • Glen Campbell
        • Cher
        • The Gershwin Brothers
        • Henry Mancini
        • The British Invasion
        • Woody Guthrie
        • Dr. Seuss Music
        • Alan Menken
      • 4th Nine Weeks >
        • Florence Price
        • Yo-Yo Ma
        • George M. Cohan
        • Rimsky-Korsakov
        • Rodgers & Hammerstein
        • Antonio Vivaldi
        • Albert Ketelbey
        • Bette Midler
        • Gustav Mahler
        • Robert Rodriguez
        • Stevie Wonder
        • Carrie Underwood
        • Keith Urban
    • YEARS 2 & 4 >
      • 1st Nine Weeks >
        • Elvis Presley
        • Glen Campbell
        • Dolly Parton
        • Beach Boys
        • Richard Wagner
        • John Lennon
        • Camille Saint-Saens
        • Rossini
        • Mark Alan Springer
        • Review Week
        • Bobby McFerrin
        • Randall Standridge
      • 2nd Nine Weeks >
        • Chicago
        • J. S. Bach
        • Banjamin Britten
        • Leonard Bernstein
        • Ella Fitzgerald
        • One Voice Children's Choir
        • Christmas Around the World
        • Jingle Bells
      • 3rd Nine Weeks >
        • Bedrich Smetana
        • Disney Composers
        • Garth Brooks
        • Edgar Varese
        • Joni Mitchell
        • Frederic Chopin
        • Valentine's Day
        • Koji Kondo
        • Philip Glass
        • Lin-Manuel Miranda
        • Review Week
      • 4th Nine Weeks >
        • Marian Anderson
        • Johann Strauss, Jr. >
          • Johann Strauss, Jr.
        • John Denver
        • Moses Hogan
        • Barry Manilow
        • F. J. Haydn
        • Wynton Marsalis
        • Gloria Estefan
        • George Strait
        • Jake Shimabukuro
        • Yanni
  • CHARACTER WORDS
  • School of Innovation!
    • Laying a Foundation
    • Art Music Plan
    • It's OFFICIAL!
    • Rationale
    • Mission & Vision
    • ADE Approved Plan
    • Graphic Plan
    • Implementation Plan
  • Library
  • G./T.
  • National Blue Ribbon School Info
  • Parents' Page
    • Resources for Parents

Alan Menken

Patriotic Assembly Song of the Week      
"This Is My Country"


Musician of the Week
Alan Menken

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Monday
Listening Example:  "Under the Sea" from "The Little Mermaid", 1989

Alan Menken is a multi-award winning composer who is best known for his work with Disney Animation studios.  
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Menken was born as Alan Irwin Menken on July 22, 1949 in Manhattan.

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Alan’s parents, Judith and Norman Menken, were very supportive of his musical abilities.  In fact, his dad was described as a boogie woogie piano playing dentist.  His mother was an actress, dancer, and playwright.  His home was always filled with creativity.  ​
Menken’s first job with Walt Disney Studios was working on the music for “The Little Mermaid”.  The song “Under the Sea” from “The Little Mermaid” is in a style of music called calypso.  Calypso music originated in Trinidad, in the Caribbean Islands, where the mermaid Ariel lives.  Calypso music also features steel drums, which can play both rhythm and melody.  In the film, seashells were used for drums Menken's tropical sounding music helped to set the scene and make the film believable. Today’s listening example is “Under the Sea” from “The Little Mermaid”.  

Tuesday
Listening Example:  "Zero to Hero" from "Hercules"

It was always assumed that Alan Menken would become a dentist, like nearly every male in his family; however, he wanted to write music and play instruments!
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Menken, like many children, was a child with ADHD.  This made studying, and even practicing the piano, which he loved, a very difficult task.  However, he overcame that to write his first composition, “Bouree”, at the age of 9.
In 1971, Alan graduated from New York University with a degree in Musicology.  


The word “musicology” literally means the “study of music”.  Music, of course means music and “ology” is a suffix meaning “the study of”.  


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Alan Menken worked with David Zippel on the movie “Hercules” in 1997.  It is the 35th animated film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios.  This song is about becoming a somebody (an important person) from being a nobody (an unimportant person). In this film's case, Hercules eventually went from being a nobody/zero to a somebody/hero.

Wednesday
Listening Example:  "Newsies" medley

Even though Alan Menken was an excellent musician, he wasn't famous right away.  He started out playing the piano for other singers.  He would write songs, and get to perform them sometimes, but nothing ever really caught on.  Until he met Howard Ashman. 
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Howard Ashman was a playwright (someone who takes a book or story and turns it into a play).  He chose Menken to write the music for a play he was working on titled “God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater”.  
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Ashman and Menken went on to write the wildly popular “Little Shop of Horrors.”  This was just the beginning of the amazing work these two would do together.
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In 1992, Menken wrote the music for the live action Disney film, “Newsies”.  It wasn’t until Disney made “Newsies” into a Broadway musical, that Menken received the Tony Award for Best Score.  Today’s listening example is a medley of songs from “Newsies”. When a group of people are singing, that is called a chorus.  Even though the soloists are amazing, sometimes, the most exciting parts of the show are sung by the chorus.


Thursday
Listening Example:  "Colors of the Wind" from "Pocahontas"

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In 1989, Alan Menken and Howard Ashman were hired by Walt Disney Studios to write the music and lyrics for “The Little Mermaid”.  
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The Little Mermaid was a huge success and signaled a new Disney era called the Disney Renaissance. The film gave them their first Oscar win: Best Song for the song "Under the Sea". Menken also won the 1989 Oscar for Best Score.  The film gave them their first Oscar win: Best Song for the song "Under the Sea". Menken also won the 1989 Oscar for Best Score.
Today’s listening example is “Colors of the Wind” from Disney’s “Pocahontas”.  This song is considered a pop ballad.  One of the elements of music is called form.   This refers to the way songs are constructed. Ballads are in the form called AABA.  The A sections have the same music.  The B section is different music.  In pop songs, the B section is often referred to as the Bridge because it creates a contrasting link between the A sections.  As you watch the song video, listen for the repeating A sections and the contrasting bridge section.

FRIDAY
Music Example: "That's How You Know (When You're In Love)  

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Alan Menken went on to work for Disney for over 20 years.  
He began working with Tim Rice in 1991, on “Aladdin.”
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He has written the music for most of the live action Disney movies that have recently been released as well.
Today’s listening example is “That’s How You Know” from Disney’s live action film “Enchanted”.  While the song only lasts about four minutes, there is a lot packed into the scene.  Keep in mind that in filming a spectacular scene like this one, all the singing is actually done in a recording studio then added to the film. It takes a lot of teamwork to create the entertainment that Disney Studios provides us, and Alan Menken has been an important part of that team for two decades.  Just think, what would Disney films be like without the music and songs to enhance them?  

References

https://www.alanmenken.com/biography

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Menken

https://www.songhall.org/profile/alan_menken
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