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Mike Kachuba is a songwriter and performer of both traditional and contemporary folk music of America and the British Isles. Mike’s experience as a classroom teacher and a CCT Master Teaching Artist helps him reach audiences of all ages in a relaxed and humorous style. The Connecticut Commission on the Arts has honored Mike in the past as Connecticut State Troubadour.
“After watching Mike work with an inclusive classroom with Pre-K students that are hearing impaired all I can say is WOW!! He reached every single four year old in the room and engaged them in singing and movement. What a truly wonderful program filled with songs that the children immediately related to!!” Submitted by Program Reviewer
“Just had to reach out and say THANK YOU in capital letters for advising us to host Mike Kachuba. The way he incorporated kids’ names and interests into his performance was masterful. They loved all of the movement, and of course I loved that the content of his show has curricular alignment. The performance wove a lot of information with a lot of student participation. I would definitely recommend this show to any Pre-K-First Grade group that is looking to reward their kids, learn some science in a fun and memorable way, or introduce a wide variety of interesting musical instruments and techniques. Our music teacher picked up some great tips from watching him! Please extend my thanks to Mr. Kachuba.“ Gina Musumeci, Principal-In-Residence, Amistad Elementary,New Haven, CT
Earthworms,Doodlebugs and Dirt (Grades PK-K)
What is a Doodlebug? The natural world and its smaller inhabitants hold a special interest for preschoolers and kindergartners. In this musical presentation that fits beautifully with the introduction of insect life cycles, butterfly hatcheries, and the environment students will learn, move to, and sing participatory songs about creatures that wiggle, crawl, creep and fly. In addition to being a musician, Mike holds a Master’s degree in environmental education and was the Fairfield County Soil and Water Conservation Teacher of the Year when he taught environmental studies.
Length: 30-40 Minutes
Back to Back Performances: $280
Three Performances: $330
Four Performances: $420
“mmmm…..Movin’ Music with Musician Mike” (Ages 3-5) A music and movement marathon for 3-5 year olds!
Besides 30 years experience of presenting music to children, Mike was once a child himself! (Many people still say he’s just a big kid!)
In this 30-40 minute program Musician Mike will pull from his vast repertoire of age appropriate songs to get everyone moving, singing, and feeling good about themselves and the world around them!
Musician Mike uses guitar, dulcimer, banjo and the audience will have the chance to shake and tap along on rhythm instruments.
It Happened In Connecticut: (Grades 3-6)
Mike celebrates the “lesser known”, yet interesting people who have contributed to Connecticut’s colorful past. Meet Goody Basset, the witch of Stratford; Jack Arabas, the slave who was given his freedom in a New Haven court of law opening the door for others to gain their freedom as well; John Hinson, the first man to escape from Granby’s Newgate Prison; Dinny Seidel, a fisherman who became a hero after the hurricane of 1938; Gustave Whitehead, who some believe was the first man to fly an airplane; the “Leatherman” one of the first folk legends in the state; and many more! Many instruments of historic nature and lessons on respect and character development in this educational and entertaining program
Single Performance: $530
Back to Back Performances: $640
Three Performances: $750
THE MUSIC OF MATH (PK-5) Workshop or Residency
Have you ever noticed that many mathematicians are musical thinkers and many musicians are mathematical thinkers? This series of programs is designed to explore math and music concepts together. One helps to learn the other in fun, informative class sessions. This program addresses CT State Standards in math 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2 for analyzing quantitative relationships, determination of equivalency, understanding varieties of numerical representation to describe quantitative relationships, and use of numbers for counting and understanding quantities for grades pre-K-5. Addresses CT State Standards in music 2.b, 2.d, 2.e; 3.a,3.b3.c,3.d; 4.b; 5.a,5.b for playing music alone and with others; for improvising melodies, variations and accompaniments; for composing and arranging music; and for reading and notating music in grades K-5 where grade appropriate.
MUSIC COUNTS! (Pre-K, K-1) Students will use voice, movement, and rhythm instruments to count beats, recognize patterns, and begin fraction concepts. Program length: 40-45 minutes. Max. 26 students. Up to four classes in a day.
FEEL THE FRACTIONS! (Grades 2-4) Students will use rhythm instruments and movement to understand the relationship between fractions and equivalency and beat and rhythm. Program length: 40-45 minutes. Max. 26 students. Up to four classes in a day.
KEYS AND SCALES AS SETS AND PATTERNS! (Grades 4-5) Students will create a human keyboard and use boomwhackers to create musical keys. By looking at shared notes in scales, students will explore the mathematical concepts of sets and patterns and how they exist in music. They will explore the concepts of intervals in relation to triad chord structure and key change.
Program length: 40-45 minutes. Max. 26 students. Up to four classes in a day.
THE MATH OF MELODY! (Grades 4-5)Students will use boomwhackers and possibly other instruments to explore the concept of intervals and how intervals are used to create melody in music. Program length: 40-45 minutes.
Class room presentation for up 26 students. Up to four classes in a day.
Note: The programs for grades 2-5 can be presented as a sequential series in a three day residency for a grade level. Up to four classes per day. It can be booked for each grade level in a 12 day residency. Up to four classes in a day.
LYRICAL MATH! (GRADES 1-5): Use key concepts of any math unit and turn them into a song by composing lyrics and melody with Mike. Record the songs created onto cd format using a portable digital recording studio set up in the classroom.
Note: This would be a four day residency program up to four classes in a day. This program should be booked towards the end of a particular math unit.
Full Day: $540 four workshops
THE MUSIC OF POETRY (Grades 3-5) Workshop
The connections between poetry and music are many. Poems evoke images, possess meter, rhythm, mood, and structure. A music composition does as well. In this workshop program students will make the connections between poetry and music by interpreting a poem through music composition.
Student Objectives
In this workshop students will:
- Understand by reading and reflecting upon a poem use of imagery, meter, mood, and structure.
- create a musical composition that interprets the poem in “musical language.”
- Understand the connections and similarities between poetry and music.
- Perform their musical interpretation of the poem.
State Standards for Language Arts Addressed in Music of Poetry:
1. Reading and Responding
1.1 Students use appropriate strategies before, during and after reading in order to construct meaning.
1.2 Students interpret, analyze and evaluate text in order to extend understanding and appreciation.
1.4 Students communicate with others to create interpretations of written, oral and visual texts.
2. Exploring and Responding
Students read and respond to classical and contemporary texts from many cultures and literary periods.
2.1 Students recognize how literary devices and conventions engage the reader.
2.2 Students explore multiple responses to literature.
2.3 Students recognize and appreciate that contemporary and classical literature has shaped human thought.
3. Communicating with Others
Students produce written, oral and visual texts to express, develop and substantiate ideas and experiences.
3.2 Students prepare, publish and/or present work appropriate to audience, purpose and task.
State Standards For Music (Standard 2) Addressed in Music of Poetry:
·perform easy rhythmic, melodic and chordal patterns accurately and independently on rhythmic and harmonic classroom instruments;
• echo short rhythms and melodic patterns;
• perform in groups, blending instrumental timbres, matching dynamic levels, responding to the cues of a conductor;
• perform independent instrumental parts while other students sing or play contrasting parts.
• play by ear simple melodies on a melodic instrument and simple accompaniments on a harmonic
instrument.
• perform an appropriate part in an ensemble, demonstrating well-developed ensemble skills;
• perform in small ensembles with one student on a part.
Residency Format: 3-5 days (dependent upon CD recording option). Approximately 25 students per session, up to five sessions a day.
Song Writing From Your Curriculum: (Grades K-12) Residency
Mike teaches the art of song writing as an effective means for engaging students in the writing process. Any curricular topic can be used to create songs. No previous knowledge of the language of music is necessary. Everyone can write a song! A CD recording of student’s work can be created at the end of the residency.
Note Residencies can be from 3 – 5 days (or longer). Up to 5 classes per day.
The Language of Art: See Multi-Disciplinary Section (with Tom Lee) (Grades 3-6) Residency
Mike works with students to create songs based on a painting they have previously discussed with story teller Tom Lee. Using their language from this discussion, Mike teaches the art of song writing and creates a CD of the student’s work.
CCT FUNDING AVAILABLE
Curriculum Links:
Social Studies, Science, Language Arts, Music, Math
WEBSITES: http://web.mac.com/mikekachuba
Young Audiences Arts for Learning Connecticut: Our mission is to integrate the arts into the lives of children in educational and community settings. Our vision for Connecticut is that all children realize their potential through the arts; that the arts are valued for their ability to improve our schools and communities; that, by participation in the arts, children come to understand and value themselves, their neighbors, and the world cultures they share.
We are an Affiliate of VSA arts… an international nonprofit organization that is creating a society where all people with disabilities learn through, participate in, and enjoy the arts.
We offer educational classroom workshops, school cultural programs, school arts programs, assembly programs, arts integration programs, artist in residence programs – bringing theater, music, drama, puppetry, visual arts, storytelling, drawing, painting, history and cultural arts to the classroom.