MUSIC AT ST. MARY'S
third "QUARTER NOTES"
We're into our second semester of music making at St. Mary's! I
f you are visiting this web site to check out our school, welcome! Read on for a little information about our music program.
We've been busy singing, listening, and learning about all kinds of music and musical information. Our music curriculum is set up to teach a wide variety of the basic building blocks of music – rhythm, notes, sight reading, and eventually chords and harmony.
Elementary students come to music class twice each week. Singing is always my main focus, so that is a big part of each music class. We learn to use our voices well.
In spite of a big snow storm, we managed to use them quite well in December at our K-5 Christmas concert, and a week later at the middle school Band and Chorus Concert. The band and chorus are working on new music in preparation for their spring concert, which will be . . .
Wednesday, May 26, at 7 p.m. in Topper Hall.
What else we've been up to:
Kindergartners are discovering their singing voices and learning to use them properly together. They've been listening for loud and soft, high and low, and fast and slow. Now they are also learning to distinguish beween equal and unequal rhythms, and have had some more opportunity to experiment with rhythm instruments.
First graders are gaining confidence in their singing ability. Recent song favorites (besides our concert songs) include "It Is Good" and "I know and Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly." In addition to continuing to learn about form and tempo, they can identify eighth and quarter notes and have recently learned about the music staff, along with their first two solfege syllagles, "so" and "mi."
In second grade, students have become used to having music books; it's their first year to have them. They've learned to follow multiple verses of a song. After reviewing the first three solfege syllables we learned last year -- mi, so, and la -- they learned a new one, "do." They've also discovered the half note recently. If you run into one of them, be sure to ask for "John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt;" it's a great one for learning about dynamics.
Students enter grade three with a lot of musical learning already under their belts. They started out the year with a focus on rhythm and learned about the orchestra, listening to some classical music excerpts that are perennial third-grade favorites, such as Haydn's "Surprise Symphony." American folk songs are another highlight of our third-grade books; they recently learned "Draw a Bucket of Water," along with a folk dance move called "weaving the basket." Lately they've been discovering meter signatures and reading rhythms in 6/8 meter.
Students' musical ability at the fourth-grade level allows them to do part singing, and our books provide us with a lot of interesting music.
The same is true of "Music Express" magazine, which the older elementary students really enjoy. They did an outstanding job learning harmony parts for the Christmas concert, even singing in three-part harmony with the fifth grade. RECORDERS HAVE BEEN ORDERED (!!!!) and that big unit is about to begin -- always highly anticipated in fourth grade. Be watching for information about their performance.
Fifth graders have lots going on musically. Many of them started band lessons this fall with Mr. Ackerman. In music class, they continue to do lots of part singing and work on sight singing. And this was the BIG YEAR for fifth graders, who got to be the "stars" of the Christmas concert!
They did an outstanding job with both their lines and their songs. Now they are learning some more advanced musical concepts -- major and minor tonality, syncopated rhythms, chordal harmony. Fifth graders need to begin thinking about their music class choices for next year.
Sixth graders have options regarding their music classes: they may choose middle school chorus or band (grades 6, 7, and 8), or general music (grade 6 only). Students who want to try both band and chorus are able to do so.
Their general music class has been learning about musical texture and the orchestra, and they've learned to play parts on pitched rhythm instruments. More recently, they've been reviewing half and whole steps, flats and sharps, and key signatures.
In grades seven and eight, it's a Fine Arts option; students choose art, band, or chorus. The chorus, naturally, has been singing. Their Christmas concert with the band was very well received. Five new students have joined chorus since then, and the spring concert promises to be a treat as well. Remember:
Wednesday, May 26, at 7 p.m. in Topper Hall -- Spring Band and Chorus Concert
This is my tenth year at St. Mary's. I enjoy working with my students and always look forward to connecting with parents, as well as meeting those who are new to our school family.
Anyone with questions or concerns, either current parents or new visitors to this page, may contact me at lthorngate@stmb.org.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Thorngate
