Looking back...

Looking back over the past nine months, I am completely thrilled to see the progress that students have made in music.  Here are some highlights:

In September...

Grade 1 students explored different vocal qualities including speaking voice, singing voice, whispering voice and stage voice.  Now, these young budding musicians are able to sing, notate and create original melodies using solfège and talk about what makes two songs "the same."

Grade 2 students told simple musical stories using non-pitched instruments.  Now, they can use this knowledge to create sound effects to accompany poems and to play barred instruments to accompany the musical stories. 

Grade 3 students sang and moved to songs.  Now, they have explored a range of instruments including non-pitched instruments, barred instruments and the recorder.  They can notate a song rhythmically or melodically and create simple musical structures using different rhythmic patterns.

Grade 4 students also sang and moved to songs and performed soundscapes.  Now, they are able to play multi-voiced texture, many instruments including non-pitched instruments, barred instruments, the djembe (African drum), and the recorder.  They can read and notate familiar songs on the staff.

As we look back, our students have grown so much as budding musicians.  There is every reason to celebrate!

Using the solfège that they have learned, namely, sol, mi and la, Grade 1 students have been creating their own "musical messages."  Not only do they have to "read" these messages back in solfège, they are encouraged to "sing" them back in tune.  This is a high-level skill as it requires that student internalize the relative pitches.  Grade 2 students continue to tell musical stories.  They are currently learning lullabies and poems inspired by the Prairie scenes. 

Grade 3 and 4 students continue to build on their recorder and note-reading skills.  They are beginning to translate "finger numbers" to the 5-line staff.  In the next few weeks, they will be able to start notating the recorder songs that they have learned onto this 5-line notational system.