Welcome Back!

Hello Southwest Families,

Welcome back to a hopefully more “normal” year at Southwest!  We will continue to use the Spotlight on Music series as a resource for many of our lessons, as well as a variety of other materials.  We hope to return many of our performances to the schedule this year as well.

We will be using a variety of instruments to help learn about and experience music.  One exciting addition this year is a set of 15 piano keyboards, generously provided by the Geneseo Education Foundation.  This set of keyboards will be shared between the three Geneseo elementary schools, with a more focused unit with third graders.  Fourth and fifth graders will again be using recorders, and all students will continue to use our mallet percussion instruments.

Another exciting addition this year will be 4^th and 5^th grade choir!  This group will rehearse before school several days each week, and will perform alongside the rest of our students at several concerts each year.  Auditions will take place before school next Monday and Tuesday, August 30-31. More details can be found here:

4^th and 5^th grade students will have the opportunity to perform at the “Heroes” finale concert of the Harvest Music Festival during the weekend of September 25-26.  A more detailed message will be sent to families of these students in the near future.

All students are encouraged to submit a talent show audition video! This could be a musical or non-musical talent.  Please have your child see come to the music room before school for help and ideas.  For those who are selected to perform live, the talent show will take place at the Harvest Music Festival on Sunday, September 26^th at 3 p.m. in the Geneseo City Park.  Videos are due to Mr. Eckwall by next Friday, September 3^rd.

At the end of this note, I have included list of all Southwest musical events for this school year.  There may be a few additions and corrections coming later.  I have also attached a page outlining events where you are invited to assist and become involved.  Please return this form with your child to the music room at Southwest.  These resources may also be found on my district blog at https://gcsdstaff.org/eckwall/. 

Please let me know if you have any questions at meckwall@geneseoschools.org or (309) 945-0699.  I look forward to working with you again this year!

Sincerely in Music,

Mike Eckwall

Southwest Music Teacher

2021-22 Southwest Fine Arts Dates

Harvest Fest Talent Show Auditions (4^th and 5^th grades)- Friday, September 3, 2021- deadline to submit to me your video audition

Harvest Festival (4^th and 5^th grades)-Sunday, September 26, 2021 Geneseo City Park (rain location Geneseo HS)

• Talent Show 3:00 p.m.
• Finale Choir Concert 4:30 p.m.

Geneseo Christmas Walk (4^th and 5^th grades)– Saturday, December 11, 2021, downtown Geneseo

Southwest Christmas Programs– Tuesday, December 14, 2021, High School Concert Hall

• Grades K-2 6:00 p.m.
• Grades 3-5 7:15 p.m.

Quad City Symphony Day-(4^th grade) –TBA February/March 2022

Music in Our Schools Concert (4^th and 5^th grades)– Thursday, February 24, 2022, 7:00 p.m., HS Concert Hall

4^th Grade Musical – Tuesday, March 14, 2022, 6:30 p.m. at Southwest

Southwest Fine Arts Day– Thursday, March 17, 2022 at Southwest

5^th grade Recorder Concert Monday, April 25, 2022

Practice– TBA

Concert–  7:00 p.m., HS Concert Hall

All-Unit Choir Concert (4th and 5th grades)- Monday, May 2, 2022, 7:00 p.m., HS Concert Hall

Southwest Spring Programs– Thursday, May 12, 2022, Southwest Gymnasium

• Grades K-2 8:45 a.m.
• Grades 3-5 10:00 a.m.