Music Program

Preschool students begin their musical journey with song, learning to sing together as a group and focusing on the development of gross motor skills with musical instruments incorporated through play. Music is an integral part of the curriculum as children learn concepts such as rhythm, melody, and pace, in addition to the concepts of numeracy and literacy to begin building their foundation for mathematics and reading. Musical instruments such as rhythm sticks, drums and shakers are available and circle time is used to encourage singing together as a group. Throughout the school year, students are given ample opportunities to perform for an audience, and parents are encouraged to attend and support their budding young musicians.

Music in the Lower School begins with the concentration on teaching fundamental music skills such as rhythm, pitch, dynamics, tempo and form. Students learn to sing a number of songs, play rhythm instruments such as maracas, sticks, and castanets, play Orff instruments (pitched xylophones played with mallets), read and perform basic rhythms using symbols. Starting in Third Grade they begin to  work on increasingly difficult songs and concepts, to read pitch notation and students learn to write a simple composition. The incorporation of body movement through folk dances is taught and the theme of “music from around the world” is presented. Students also prepare to select an orchestral instrument through the introduction of the recorder in Fourth Grade. Instruments such as the flute, clarinet, trumpet, horn, trombone, euphonium, alto saxophone, violin, viola, cello, bass, drums and keyboards are explored and by the end of Fourth Grade students must select a musical instrument of choice.  Each grade level performs a grade level concert during the year, in addition to an all school holiday concert. 

The Middle School music program offers three different trimester classes that include choir, musicology, and orchestra and two extra-curricular ensembles including Drumline and Jazz Band. Choir students develop their abilities in music reading, vocal technique, theoretical knowledge of music  and their ability to work as a team as they develop their voices within a large ensemble.  Musicology students become familir with historical eras as it relates to music including Early Music, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Modern. They learn to engage the elements of music theory through composition and analysis, and learn music technology through sequencing, sampling and soundtrack creation. Orchestra students study individual and ensemble performance techniques and develop listening skills in preparation for concert performances. Drumline and Jazz Band students perform throughout the community and, in the case of Drumline, on a competitive circuit. The goal of the music curriculum is to develop well-rounded musicians who are prepared for a lifetime of music appreciation and/or continued instrumental or choral study at the high school and college levels.