The 6th and 7th grade band students had their second performance of the school year last Friday, playing Tito Puente's "Ran Kan Kan," Nat Adderley's "Work Song," and Marc Anthony's "Vivir Mi Vida" for their peers.

Thank you to Orpheus Chamber Orchestra for welcoming WHEELS 6th and 7th graders to their rehearsal last Wednesday afternoon! It's amazing to see how the musicians work together in one of the world's greatest orchestras.

Congratulations to all of the 90 6th graders that performed at our annual Winter Concerts today! Each 6th grade class put on their own short concert, each including improvisation and an original, collaboratively-written composition.

Yesterday, overlooking the Women's March at Columbus Circle, seven WHEELS students performed at Jazz at Lincoln Center as part of the Middle School Jazz Academy. They played a range of jazz standards including "Work Song," "Blues By Five," "Limbo Jazz" and "Una Mas," and everyone improvised solos!

Thank you again to the great Annette Aguilar for working with WHEELS band students for a second time, focusing on playing a mambo groove!

Thank you to the amazing percussionist, Annette Aguilar, for working on Latin rhythms with our band students! They learned about the importance of listening and hearing rhythmic subdivisions and accents played by percussion instruments like maracas, güiros, bells, bongos and congas.

Sixth grade music students collaborated with second grade music students to build musical instruments from recycled materials like boxes, bottles, cups, cans and rubber bands. Students are learning about how instruments make sound and how they can reuse materials in creative ways to reduce waste!

Thank you to Eli Yamin and Brian Shirley from the Jazz Power Initiative for visiting and singing and dancing with WHEELS 6th graders today!