Music

Read more about our Music curriculum.

Preschool students experience music through song, rhythm, movement and listening. A music specialist visits each Preschool and Prekindergarten classroom once a week for singing, creative movement, and finger plays. Starting in Kindergarten, students visit the music specialist's classroom for singing, playing Orff (marimba-like) instruments, and learning musical concepts through games.

Children in the lower elementary grades are exposed to music twice a week. An eclectic variety of musical experiences include playing notes, phrases and improvising accompaniments on the Orff instruments.

Third-, fourth- and fifth graders sing in a treble chorus and learn music expression from around the world.

Middle school music is a multicultural experience. Sixth grade students learn to play recorders, seventh graders begin classical guitar lessons, and African drumming is presented to eighth grade students. Interested students form vocal and instrumental ensembles.

Instrumental Lessons
Beginning in third grade, students may elect to take instrumental lessons. Group lessons are offered weekly for brass, woodwinds and percussion. Fourth graders can participate in the school band with the older students. A Jazz Band is formed from interested students, and all of these groups perform at school functions throughout the year. Interested students are also encouraged to accompany the vocalists on guitar, bass and percussion.

Performances
Students of all ages have numerous opportunities to perform individually and in small groups, in intimate classroom settings to all-school performances. Some of these include the Founder's Day program, Thanksgiving assembly, winter concerts, spring concert, graduation, and closing ceremonies. The next performance will be the Spring Concert on Thursday, May 31, beginning at 7 p.m. in The McCann Center.