|
| |
General
Music
At the K-5 level students will be introduced to musical concepts such as steady
beat, rhythm, melody, dynamics, tempo, and movement. Developmentally appropriate
vocal and instrumental timbres will also be explored. Students will begin to
develop rudimentary musicianship skills through vocal, instrumental, movement
and listening experiences. Students will also present public vocal performances
as educationally and developmentally appropriate.
In the middle and upper grades students will continue to advance and refine the
previously learned musical concepts. Musical notations, staff attributes, and
sight reading skills will be introduced and refined and students will learn to
play more sophisticated classroom instruments. In addition, students will
continue to improve their choral skills through canons, rounds, partner songs,
and other two part musical selections.
Instrumental Music
Upon entering 4th grade, students are invited to participate in the instrumental
music program. Students may choose to play a string instrument and join the
orchestra or a woodwind, brass or percussion instrument and join the band.
During instrumental music students focus on care and maintenance of their
instruments, playing technique, embouchure and hand positions,
articulation/bowing/sticking techniques, sound production, tone quality and ear
training. Over the course of their study, students learn and develop a variety
of musical skills including note and rhythm reading, musical vocabulary and
symbols, form and ear training. Students use musical exercises and compositions
from both traditional western music and a variety of other world cultures.
Finally, students learn practice skills and the musical and social requirements
and responsibilities of performing as part of large performing ensemble.
In the later grades, students continue building on the skills learned in the
first few years of instruction. Students work to improve their tone quality and
refine the dynamic and timbre variations required for more advanced musicality.
Additionally, students begin to work with more complex rhythms, key signatures
and musical forms, as well as practicing and performing more advanced polyphonic
music. Finally, students are given the opportunity to develop small ensemble
performance skills by working on duets, trios, quartets and taking advantage of
additional performance opportunities such as concerts, assemblies and other
special activities at school and in the community.
|
