GENERAL MUSIC

General Music is the class where students build the foundation of all their musical knowledge and experiences. In General Music, students sing*, play, move to music, improvise, count rhythms, read notes, identify instruments, describe how music sounds, respond to what they hear, explore the history of music, and experience music of many different cultures. All students receive General Music instruction once a week.

Students in Prechool–Grade 2 play classroom percussion instruments like drums, maracas, rhythm sticks, guiros, and glockenspiels. Students in Third Grade begin studying the recorder, and Fourth Graders continue the recorder for a second year. The Fifth Graders learn basic skills for playing the keyboard, and Sixth Graders learn to play chords on the guitar. (Children usually can't wait until they are old enough to play the guitar!) Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Graders show what they have learned by performing on the classroom instruments at the Spring Concert*. 

Sr. Anita has certainly been creative in Music Class! Without being able to sing because of COVID, she has focused on several other aspects of music education. Here are a few examples of how she is keeping our students engaged in Music Class:

Second Graders learning about conducting dynamics and the musical terms for loud and soft sounds.

Third Graders learning to count dance steps to "Hey, Look Me Over."

 *Currently not being offered because of COVID-19.