Music


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Music

Vocal Music

    The music classroom is a place where learning is fun! Students learn to sing together in rounds, partner songs, and echo songs. They play accompaniments on pitched (xylophones, glockenspiels) and unpitched instruments (drums, sticks, maracas). We move and shake to the sounds we make, and even write our own music to play!
    Students also get to learn about the major scale through the Kodaly method. We sight-read music, sing using solfeggio, practice rhythms, and spend a lot of time creating music of our own using the skills we learn in class.
    Music history is also learned in class with the study of different composers from all musical periods and cultures. Each day we begin class by learning about the “Composer of the Month.” In December we looked at the Beatles, and in January we studied Johann Sebastian Bach.
    Music classes are usually held in the Oak Street Auditorium. Students have plenty of room to move and make music! Chorus is a part of the vocal music department on a volunteer basis by the 3rd,4th and 5th grade students. 3rd grade chorus rehearses on Tuesday mornings and 4th/5th grade chorus rehearses on Wednesday mornings. Both groups rehearse from 8:00-8:45am.

Teacher: Ms. Debbie Lingel

Instrumental Music

    Students who are entering third grade may choose only the violin, viola or cello as their beginning instrument. Students entering grades four or five may choose any one of the stringed instruments (violin, viola, cello, or bass), woodwinds (flute, clarinet, oboe, alto or tenor saxophone), brass (trumpet, French horn, baritone horn or trombone) or percussion instruments (all first year beginning students will start on the orchestra bell kit, which includes a snare drum practice pad).
    All students receive thirty-minute small group lesson per week. These lessons are held during the school day and students are pulled out of their regular class. When possible lessons are rotated. When rotation is possible, students will only be missing a particular thirty- minute period once every eight weeks.
    Students are also expected to participate in their school band and orchestra. Fourth and fifth grade band and orchestra meet as a group ensemble before the school day begins for forty- five minutes (8:00AM-8:45AM) once per week. Each performing ensemble meets on separate mornings by experience level first year learners or second year learners.    Students perform two concerts per year, as well as for school assemblies.
    All second, third, and fourth grade students receive a demonstration of all the musical instruments that are being offered in the elementary schools. This assembly takes place in March and parents are invited to attend. Watch for announcements/dates.

Ms. Kathy Kowalska (strings)
Ms. Kate Whiteley (band)