It is a showcase of student talent, musical magic, and seasonal joy.
On this episode of the Supercast, we take you to Joel P. Jensen Middle School for a holiday music program that will make your spirits bright one note at a time. Listen and enjoy.
Audio Transcription
[MUSIC PLAYING]Anthony Godfrey:
Hello, and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. It is a showcase of student talent, musical magic, and seasonal joy. On this episode of the Supercast, we take you to Joel P. Jensen Middle School for a holiday music program that will make your spirits bright one note at a time. Listen and enjoy. We're in Ms. Johnson's classroom just after the performance. Tell me about this group of students.
Ms. Johnson:
Yeah, this is our concert choir. So it's our students who are taking choir for their second or third year here at Joel P. Jensen. We have a few students who are seventh graders as well who just came to boost our numbers.
Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me about the process of taking them from not knowing these songs and some of them not having experienced singing, to being at this point. They sounded great.
Ms. Johnson:
Yeah, we do a lot of learning up front, doing rounds where students have to really get used to singing their part independently and start learning how to read music. Then it takes us about two months to learn our concert. So usually each class is learning about four or five songs. We start with just learning the notes, and then we try to make it more musical, add dynamics, the louds and softs, and make it more interesting and emotional from there.
Anthony Godfrey:
I'm always amazed at how music teachers, both instrumental and choral, are able to have each individual practice their part and then bring everyone together and blend all of that so it's a unified sound. Talk to me about that process.
Ms. Johnson:
Yeah, we work with just the altos or just the sopranos, and then sometimes we'll spend like 20 minutes just working on eight measures. So just a really small portion of the song, making sure everyone understands how their part fits in with the rest. Yeah, it's fun to see how everyone is able to find their note and by relying on the other people who are on their part, but then still have that independence from the other parts in the group. It just all comes together so beautifully at the end of the day.
Anthony Godfrey:
So to blend without being lost.
Ms. Johnson:
Yeah, exactly.
Anthony Godfrey:
I always get lost. Tell me about your journey to becoming a music teacher. How long have you been here and what made you interested in music from the start?
Ms. Johnson:
Yeah, this is my second year teaching at Joel P. Jensen and ever. I graduated from college in 2024. So it's been a fun journey to have my first choir. I actually decided to teach music because I had a wonderful middle school choir director and several wonderful piano teachers who made me love music and see the benefit that it could have to my life personally. I felt like I really found a place in choir. It's nice to be able to offer other students now those same opportunities to have connections socially and to understand their emotions better by working through them in music class. It's really rewarding to pass that forward.
Anthony Godfrey:
There's a huge personal benefit. Tell me about one of those instructors who had such an impact on you.
Ms. Johnson:
Yeah, so I lived in Pennsylvania when I was in middle school and my choir teacher was named Mrs. Farrell. She had really high expectations for us as a choir class and made us better musicians and better people, teaching us to really care for each other and always seek to do our best at anything we did.
Anthony Godfrey:
Do you find yourself doing some things that you experienced in her class, using some of that now as a teacher?
Ms. Johnson:
Yeah, for sure. I learned so much from her, from my professors at college and I've found some great mentors here in the District as well, high school and middle school choir teachers that I've been able to steal some of their best ideas from.
Anthony Godfrey:
Good.
Ms. Johnson:
Yeah, it's been great.
Anthony Godfrey:
We love that. Well, whatever you're doing, it's working. They sounded wonderful and I just really appreciate everything you're doing and we're excited to have you here at Joel P.
Ms. Johnson:
Thank you. This is "Beautiful December" by Amy F. Burnin.
Now when the garden awaits, the return of spring.
Now when the silence is deep and blue.
Now when the winter has cast its spell again.
Beautiful December, beautiful December.
Here where the snow is as soft as the woolly land.
Here where the sky falls deep and blue.
Here where the stars are so bright you reach for them.
Beautiful December, beautiful December.
Child, may sleep in peace tonight.
Dream of songs that rise on silken leaves.
When you wake enchanted by snow's fun light.
Sing the songs that came to you in dreams.
Your beautiful December dreams.
When the storm awaits, the return of spring.
Now when the garden awaits, the return of spring.
When the silence is deep and blue.
Deep and blue.
Blue now.
When the winter is cast as spell again.
Beautiful December, beautiful December.
Beautiful December, beautiful December.
Beautiful December.
Blue.
Anthony Godfrey:
We're talking now with students who are in concert choir here at Joel P. Jensen Middle School. Tell me, what's it like being in concert choir? What do you love most about it?
Students:
It's good being at Joel P. Jensen in the choir because you get to do concerts and it's fun singing.
I get a lot of opportunities to socialize with other students and reunite as one class and then work on projects altogether.
I feel like I get to express my emotions through my voice while I'm singing and it's just really fun to do that.
It's really fun and Miss Johnson's like the best teacher.
I really like singing in choir with the other choir kids. It helps me feel more united with them and to become best friends with them and there's like lots of opportunities to just go and perform and sing your heart out and it's great.
This is “Like It's Christmas” by the Jonas Brothers arranged by Mac Huff.
[music]Anthony Godfrey:
Stay with us when we come back more Sounds of the Season from Joel P. Jensen Middle School.
Music]
Male Voice:
Never miss an episode of The Supercast by liking and subscribing on your favorite podcasting platform. Find transcripts for this episode and others at supercast.jordandistrict.org.
Female Voice:
Are you looking for a job right now? Looking to work in a fun and supportive environment with great pay and a rewarding career? Jordan School District is hiring. We're currently filling full and part-time positions. You can work and make a difference in young lives and education as a classroom assistant or a substitute teacher. Apply to work in one of our school cafeterias, where our lunch staff serves up big smiles with great food every day. We're also looking to hire custodians and bus drivers. In Jordan School District, we like to say people come for the job and enjoy the adventure. Apply today at employment.jordandistrict.org.
Ms. Johnson:
This is the Bells of Christmas Medley arranged by Greg Gilpin.
Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah, tell me about Miss Johnson. What's it like being in her class?
Female Student:
She's an amazing teacher. She's very patient and sweet when it comes to her students. If you're ever struggling when it comes to a certain section of the song, you can tell her that, and she will help you out.
Female Student:
She is very kind and she never makes you sing something you don't want to, but she still helps you develop your singing skills and become a better singer.
Anthony Godfrey:
Now you sang some great songs, Jonas Brothers and Medley, all of that. What is your favorite holiday song, winter song, or Christmas song, whatever you choose?
Female Student:
I personally really like to sing the Jonas Brothers song because it's more energetic and it's easier to sing those higher notes since it's more... yeah.
Anthony Godfrey:
Although I'm not a good dancer, I wanted to move to that one. You guys had me going.
Male Student:
My favorite is "Oh Come, Oh Come, Emmanuel." Specifically, I like the version with For King and Country “I Need to Breathe." I feel like their voices work really well together.
Female Student:
I like "Silent Night" because it's so peaceful and it's so pretty.
Male Student:
My favorite song is "Wings the Bells It's Christmas" because it has a lot of Christmas spirit and a lot of joy.
Female Student:
I personally like "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" because I think it's for adults and kids and families to just sing together, and it's really easy.
Female Student:
I personally like the J I N G O Bells because it's a fun version of Jingle Bells. I also really like "Silent Night." It just brings a lot of peace when you're having a hard time.
Ms. Johnson:
This is "Ring the Bells. It's Christmas" by Douglas E. Wagner.
♪ Ring the bells and spread the cheer of sing noel, noel ♪
♪ Christmas time returns and all around us we can tell ♪
♪ Colored lights upon the tree, gifts for you and me ♪
♪ Herald song in harmony, noel, noel, it's Christmas ♪
[music]♪ Ring the bells and spread the cheer of sing noel, noel ♪
♪ Christmas time returns and all around us we can tell ♪
♪ Golden lights upon the tree, gifts for you and me ♪
♪ Herald song in harmony, noel, noel, it's Christmas ♪
♪ Sing, noel, noel ♪
♪ Sing, noel, noel ♪
♪ Sing, noel, noel ♪
♪ Christmas time returns and all around us we can tell ♪
♪ Golden lights upon the tree, gifts for you and me ♪
♪ Herald song in harmony, noel, noel it's Christmas ♪
♪ It's Christmas
♪ Golden lights upon the tree, noel, noel noel ♪
♪ Christmas time returns and all around us we can tell ♪
♪ Golden lights upon the tree, gifts for you and me ♪
♪ Herald song in harmony, ring the bells and spread the cheer ♪
♪ Sing, noel, it's Christmas time ♪
Anthony Godfrey:
Have a great break! Thanks for joining us on another episode of the Supercast. Remember, “Education is the most important thing you will do today!” We'll see you out there and we hope you have a wonderful winter break.