Music
Lower School (Kindergarten-5th Grade)
Music is an active process. Children learn musical skills and concepts through singing, movement, and instrumental playing. Our material starts with age-appropriate singing games and folksongs from around the world, and progresses to more elaborate vocal and instrumental pieces, seasonal and community-wide songs. These provide the material for learning to hear, read and perform a sequenced progression of rhythms, pitch patterns and musical forms. The variety of materials, especially connected to their social studies curriculum, engenders an appreciation of aesthetic differences between cultures. Movement is used to reinforce musicality through kinesthetic means: children show rhythm and phrasing with their bodies, sing while they play a game in time with the music, and learn dances. They have opportunities to improvise and compose to reinforce what they are learning and “make it their own.” Their creations are connected with repertoire embodying the same concepts or form from classical, jazz, blues and world music repertoire.
The element of community is very important to the structure of our classes. Children learn to work together as an ensemble to bring a piece to life: their part is one of a texture. They play a large assortment of percussion and Orff instruments (xylophones, metallophones, and glockenspiels). These are blended into increasingly complex ensembles of two to four differentiated parts. Likewise, as their singing voices mature, expand in range and develop more accurate pitch, they begin to sing in parts.
In 3rd Grade, children begin playing the soprano recorder. With this instrument, they begin to identify notes by letter name and learn songs from sheet music as well as by rote. They learn basic wind instrument techniques such as posture, breathing, articulation, and fingering. After two years of soprano recorder, 5th Grade students progress to study of the alto recorder. In addition, 5th graders begin playing a woodwind or brass instrument: flute, clarinet, saxophone or trumpet.
By the completion of Lower School, a child should have a broad appreciation of many types of music, and the skills and literacy to participate in an ensemble.
Upper School (6th-8th Grade)
Music in the Upper School builds upon the skills developed in the Lower School, with more ensemble opportunities.
In our core program, all 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students take one of the following performing arts classes (PAC): Chorus, Band, Wind Ensemble, Street Dance, Guitar Ensemble, Creating Music, or Storytelling. Classes meet once a week for the full year to allow students to build their knowledge and competency. They are wide-ranging to accommodate the interests and skill level of every student. All students have the opportunity to perform during school concerts or shares for their peers and families.