Grades 1–5
Music is an integral part of the educational life at our school and we strive to inspire and nurture the love of music in each child. Students learn the necessary skills to fully express themselves in this important discipline of the Arts during weekly music lessons. Music is also incorporated into specific units, where music can be featured as a transdisciplinary or alternative means of communication and expression. Throughout the year the students will learn to identify the unique sounds of music from various genres, cultures, and time periods.
Students in Grades 1 through 5 experience music in a general music environment. Through singing, dancing and playing of games and instruments, students learn to enjoy music while gaining an understanding of how the basic concepts of music actually function. They begin to read, create and experience new and exciting ways of expressing themselves through music. Performance gives students the opportunity to share what they have learned and to feel proud of their accomplishments.
Grade 3-5
Students in Grade 3 experience a year of musical transition. During this year, they focus on playing the recorder, singing choral repertoire in two-part harmony, gaining fluency with reading musical notation, and all of the requirements needed to perform as part of an ensemble. This is in preparation for Grade 4, where they will have the opportunity to choose from the three music ensemble programs. Reading music, listening, and following cues become essential skills.
In Grade 4 students are able to select from three specialized ensembles; band, strings and choir, where they choose to learn either a band or orchestral string instrument, or focus on the voice as a performance instrument. In these programmes, students from all grade level classes will be mixed into the programme they select.
Students who choose to learn an instrument will deepen their study of music theory and focus on learning the fingerings and proper tone production of their chosen instruments.
Students in Grade 5 have the opportunity to continue with the instrument they learned to play the previous year.
All students in all grade levels will participate in different types of performances for an audience throughout the year.
Student progress is reported on four times a year based on the standards for Music and Art.