ST. ANNE’S EPISCOPAL SCHOOL MUSIC CURRICULUM

GRADES PRE-KINDERGARTEN - EIGHTH

The goals of the music program are:

• To gain an appreciation of the important role of music in our society;
• To develop the necessary skills to attain proficiency in a variety of musical genres and areas;
• To provide students with opportunities to perform;
• To establish an environment, which allows children to be creative, to take risks and to find a balance between striving for success and feeling good about what they have accomplished.

Music plays a significant role in the goal of educating the whole child at St. Anne’s. All students have regular instruction by specialists in music, which includes singing, creating, listening, and playing classroom instruments. Specialists make connections between music and other curricular areas wherever possible. 

PRE-KINDERGARTEN THROUGH FOURTH GRADES

SKILLS

• Sing
• Play instruments
• Compose
• Read and develop musical notation
• Listen and evaluate
• Make connections between music and the other disciplines
• Understand music in relation to history and culture

CONTENT AND OBJECTIVE

Vocal Music:

• Sing songs from folk, traditional and diverse sources and cultures, as well as songs in several languages
• Emphasize accuracy in pitch, rhythm and dynamics
• Provide opportunities to sing alone and with groups to encourage blend

Instrumental Music:

• Perform alone and in small ensembles using recorders and classroom melodic and percussive instruments
• Play rhythmic, melodic and harmonic classroom instruments with accuracy in pitch, rhythm, tempo and dynamics
• Perform simple accompaniments by ear and from notation

Music Composition:

• Create melodies and accompaniments within guidelines using a variety of sound sources

Music Reading and Notation:

• Read and write basic note values and musical symbols
• Demonstrate ability to write notes on the G clef

Music Listening and Evaluation:

• Describe and explain aural examples of music of various styles
• Identify, by listening, many band and orchestral instruments
• Use specific criteria to evaluate the quality of performances, both live and recorded

Integration of Music to other Disciplines:

• Identify similarities and differences in common vocabulary used in the various artistic disciplines
• Recognize the elements that characterize music of various cultures and periods of history

• Participate in the Metropolitan Opera Guild’s "Creating Original Opera" program. Third and fourth grade students form a production company, taking on such jobs as writer, composer, electrician, set designer, performer, carpenter, or production manager. Students work together to write and to produce their own original opera which is performed for the school and for parents and friends. This is a yearlong program that instills the values of teamwork and responsibility, as well as introducing students to the world of opera and musical theater.

FIFTH THROUGH EIGHTH GRADES

SKILLS

• Sing
• Play instruments
• Compose
• Read and develop musical notation
• Listen and evaluate
• Make connections between music and the other disciplines
• Understand music in relation to history and culture

CONTENT AND OBJECTIVES

Vocal Music:

• Expand the repertoire of songs
• Sing songs with an expanding range and with increasing technical accuracy
• Emphasize proper vocal production
• Perform harmony in two and three parts

Instrumental Music:

• Perform alone and in small ensembles using recorders and classroom melodic and percussive instruments
• Demonstrate good technique and expression
• Improvise melodies and accompaniments

Music Composition:

• Compose music in various forms, expanding length and complexity
• Demonstrate an understanding of harmony by writing in two parts and with appropriate accompaniment patterns

Music Reading and Notation:

• Read all note values and identify notes on the G and F clefs
• Read simple melodies on either clef at sight
• Write melodies and harmonies using standard notation

Music Listening and Evaluation:

• Use appropriate musical terminology when describing and explaining aural examples of music
• Identify musical forms through listening skills
• Demonstrate effective evaluation of their own performances and those of others

Integration of Music to other Disciplines:

• Compare how the elements of different art forms are used to create works of art
• Understand the historical and cultural origins of music
• Identify and describe the musical characteristics from various historical periods