List of 8 items.

• Pre-kindergarten

  The music program in pre-kindergarten consists of singing daily routines, using rhythmic instruments and learning songs in anticipation of a special sing-a-long taking place in the spring. The pre-kindergarten teachers instill a joyful sense of music and music-making in every child. Their goal is give each child a fun and developmentally appropriate experience in music to nurture a lifelong love music. Pre-kindergartners are natural musicians and relish the chance to sing, perform, and use instruments in the classroom and do this every day!

• Kindergarten

  The kindergarten music program is devoted to instilling a joyful sense of music and music-making in every child. The goal is to develop students’ aesthetic sensibilities by increasing musical understanding through activities involving performing, listening, and creating. Kindergartners can look forward to learning a number of appealing and age-appropriate chants and multicultural folk songs that serve as the basis for fun and exploration! Kindergartners play games with these songs, play the rhythm instruments to accompany them, dramatize them, and dance to them. The basics of music literacy are also drawn from these songs. Carefully chosen recordings spark kindergartners’ imaginations, allowing them to express through story and movement. In the fall, kindergartners perform in a very child-friendly Halloween performance for their parents and the lower school community, showcasing the musical fun they are having in the classroom. Kindergarten students also perform a musical show in the spring.

• First Grade

  The First Grade music program is devoted to instilling a joyful sense of music and music making in every child. The goal is to develop students’ aesthetic sensibilities by increasing musical understanding through activities involving performing, listening, and creating. First Graders use a variety of multicultural folk songs, chants, and recordings to delve into the world of music through irresistible activities including: playing rhythm instruments, playing xylophones, figuring out mystery songs (music reading), dancing/movement, dramatization, and improvisation on the tone bells. First Graders particularly enjoy ample opportunity to create stories/dances/pantomimes to match the structural and expressive qualities of listening selections. In addition, the First Graders perform in the Lower School Winter Concert and in their own age-appropriate and adorable staged musical program in the spring.

• Second Grade

  The Second Grade music program is devoted to instilling a joyful sense of music and music making in every child. The goal is to develop students’ aesthetic sensibilities by increasing musical understanding through activities involving performing, listening, and creating. In addition to learning increasingly musically sophisticated chants and songs (many from a multicultural folk repertoire), Second Graders enthusiastically partake in activities involving playing rhythm instruments, playing xylophones, figuring out mystery songs (music reading), dancing/movement, dramatization, and improvisation on the tone bells. In addition, Second Graders enjoy opportunities for composing original music, sharing personal favorite recordings with the rest of the class, and performing in both the LS Winter Concert and a staged spring musical program based on the culture of either Japan or Ghana.

• Third Grade

  The Third Grade music program is devoted to instilling a joyful sense of music and music making in every child.  The goal is to develop students’ aesthetic sensibilities by increasing musical understanding through activities involving performing, listening, and creating.  Third graders sing three and four part canons, partner songs, and ostinato part songs to delve into the world of choral harmonies.  They also begin to sing together as a chorus, learning healthy vocal technique including posture, breathing, and tone placement as well as developing the skills needed for music reading.  The Third Grade Chorus performs at the annual Lower School Winter Concert.  More class activities include creating rhythmic ostinatos on the drums, playing canons on the xylophones, and creating an original class canon.  As part of our spring program featuring American folk songs, third graders enjoy performing the Virginia Reel. 

• Fourth Grade

  The Fourth Grade music program is devoted to instilling a joyful sense of music and music making in every child.  The goal is to develop students’ aesthetic sensibilities by increasing musical understanding through activities involving performing, listening, and creating.  Fourth graders experiment with increasingly sophisticated forms of creating harmony in chorus and enjoy performing at the Lower School Winter Concert.  They further develop their music reading skills through solfege and the playing of the recorder.  Attention is given to ensemble playing both with the xylophones, African drums, and recorders.  The focus of the spring semester is the American art form jazz and students eagerly embrace the rhythms, excitement, and sheer joy of this genre through improvised performance, dance, and song.  The spring program features the music and history of jazz and is a highlight of this final year in lower school.   Additionally, fourth graders participate in an annual field trip to hear the National Symphony Orchestra’s “Young People’s Concert,” an expertly produced live performance which inspires and entertains in a wonderfully age-appropriate manner.     

• Grades 5 and 6

  In fifth and sixth grade, students select among three music tracks: orchestra, choir, and band. Building on the general skills students learned in lower school classes, these tracks apply students’ musical understanding to specific musical areas. While some students have prior experience with instruments, no experience is required and students are encouraged to stretch their musical abilities. Each group participates in seasonal concerts throughout the year, including a winter and spring concert.

  Orchestra
  Orchestra members begin their study with proper techniques particular to their instruments, note and sight reading, learning to play as an ensemble, as well as basic music theory. Throughout their time in the orchestra, students’ build their skills year-to-year as they play musical selections from a diverse set of musical styles, from a range of cultures and religions. Importantly, as an ensemble, students learn to work collaboratively as a musical unit.

  Band
  Curriculum for the course extends the skills and concepts introduced in general music classes in the lower school. Playing a diverse range of music, students begin with fundamental lessons in particular instruments; as they develop competency with those, they are encouraged to branch out to work with other band instruments. As with the orchestra, skills build year-to-year and students participate in seasonal concert opportunities.

  Choir
  Middle school choir builds habits that lead to successful performance. Students continue to develop a healthy vocal range and an aural image of good singing, while working on musicianship skills by solidifying their understanding of basic musical notation. Students continue to actively perform diverse musical selections that push them to develop a broad range repertoire of abilities. The selection of those pieces comes in part through student input. As the class learns about and discusses music from different cultures, eras, religions, and composers, they, in collaboration with the instructor, select performance pieces.

• Grades 7 and 8

  In seventh and eighth grade, students my choose to continue their study of orchestra, choir, and band or may choose to play the handbells. Building on the general skills students learned in lower school classes, these tracks apply students’ musical understanding to specific musical areas. While some students have prior experience with instruments, no experience is required and students are encouraged to stretch their musical abilities. Each group participates in seasonal concerts throughout the year, including a winter and spring concert.

  Orchestra
  Orchestra members begin their study with proper techniques particular to their instruments, note and sight reading, learning to play as an ensemble, as well as basic music theory. Throughout their time in the orchestra, students’ build their skills year-to-year as they play musical selections from a diverse set of musical styles, from a range of cultures and religions. Importantly, as an ensemble, students learn to work collaboratively as a musical unit.

  Band
  Curriculum for the course extends the skills and concepts introduced in general music classes in the lower school. Playing a diverse range of music, students begin with fundamental lessons in particular instruments; as they develop competency with those, they are encouraged to branch out to work with other band instruments. As with the orchestra, skills build year-to-year and students participate in seasonal concert opportunities.

  Choir
  Middle school choir builds habits that lead to successful performance. Students continue to develop a healthy vocal range and an aural image of good singing, while working on musicianship skills by solidifying their understanding of basic musical notation. Students continue to actively perform diverse musical selections that push them to develop a broad range repertoire of abilities. The selection of those pieces comes in part through student input. As the class learns about and discusses music from different cultures, eras, religions, and composers, they, in collaboration with the instructor, select performance pieces.

  Bells
  Beginning in seventh grade, students have the choice to participate in the bells ensemble, the Norwood Ringers. Building on the musical skills they have learned in earlier classes, students apply them to an entirely new instrument; they learn healthy ringing techniques, practice reading musical notation through daily sight reading, and learning the context of the era of their music selections. As with the other ensembles, students learn to collaborate as musicians to bring out the best in one another as performers.