The Informer - the International School of Stavanger

The Informer November 28, 2003
November 28, 2003
The Informer
NEWS from the Primary MUSIC Department
NEWS FROM THE DUTCH DEPARTMENT
Welcome to the
2003....
Featuring.............
The all new Kindergarten, First and 2nd Grade
choir. Over 60 children sing 'Christmas is Love'
and an old favorite, 'Jingle Bell Rock'
Primary Winter
Concert
_
4th Graders sing the Beatles and accompany songs
with the beautiful sound of handbells.
WE INVITE YOU ALL
to come and watch
our traditional Dutch
SINTERKLAAS
CELEBRATION
Sinterklaas and his helpers
are coming to the theatre at ISS
on Friday December 5
at 9.00 a.m.
Over time, St. Nicolas became the
patron saint of sailors and merchants,
and especially of children. During the
12th and 13th centuries, Holland built
no fewer than 23 churches dedicated to
St. Nicholas, of which many are still
standing. Amsterdam adopted St.
Nicolas as its patron saint, and Rome
declared that December 6 should be the
official day to celebrate St. Nicolas.
Sinterklaas in The Netherlands
A group of students perform the 'Chimney Sweep's
Rap' our new mix of 'Black Light Theater' from the
Czech Republic & 'Stomp' originating in England.
2nd & 3rd Grade Choirs sing in two part harmony
for the very first time.
_
_
3rd and 4th Grade Girls sing 'Kyrie' in Latin.
5th Grade sing in three parts bringing English
song, handbells and Indian dancers together under
a moonlit sky.
We look forward
to seeing you in the
Lovelace theater at
7.00 p.m. on Thursday,
the 11th December.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Magda &
Kindergarten
1 st Grade
2 nd Grade
3 rd Grade
4 th Grade
5 th Grade
The story of Sinterklaas
The annual celebration of Sinterklaas, or
St. Nicolas, is an event which has been
celebrated for many centuries. It is celebrated
in most Roman Catholic countries
and is mainly a celebration for
small children.
St. Nicolas lived from 271 A.D. until
December 6 in 342 (some sources say
343) in Myra in Turkey. He came from
a wealthy family, but when his parents
died because of an epidemic, he distributed
his wealth among the poor and
became a priest. Later he became the
Archbishop of Myra, and the stories of
his good deeds were told across the
Mediterranean. Desperate sailors who
called upon the Good Bishop to ease
stormy seas were heard, and prison
walls started to crumble when victims of
persecution prayed to him. St. Nicolas
saved young children from a butcher’s
knife and dropped dowries into shoes of
penniless maidens.
Now, Sinterklaas lives in Spain, all
Dutch children know that. Sinterklaas
spends most of the year in Spain recording
the behaviour of all children in a big
red book, while his helper Black Peter
stocks up presents which will be delivered
during the night between December
5 and 6.
During the first weeks of November,
Sinterklaas gets on his white horse,
Peter (Piet) swings a huge sack full of
gifts over his shoulder, and the three of
them go on board of a steamship heading
to the Netherlands. Around mid-
November they arrive in a harbour town
-a different one every year- where they
are formally greeted by the Mayor and a
delegation of citizens, and welcomed by
many children. Their parade through
town is being watched on television by
the whole country and marks the beginning
of the Sinterklaas season.
The old bishop and his mate are suddenly
everywhere at once. At night they ride
across Holland’s rooftops and
Sinterklaas listens through the chim-
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