Music

 

Students in PreK – Grade 8 at St. Pius X School learn the joy of music in the classroom through performances on stage in concerts, drama productions, and other programs. My curriculum places an emphasis on experiencing music from the inside by performance.

This experience begins in PreK and Kindergarten, learning musical concepts such as pitch matching, steady beat, melodic movement, and phrasing. This is done with classroom singing and playing rhythm or pitched instruments.

In Grade 1, these basic concepts are continued through classroom singing and rhythm instruments. It is here that we begin instrumental music concepts by introducing the Flutophone. The students begin what I call Flutophone Karate. Different colored belts are achieved through learning a series of songs starting with a white belt for Hot Cross Buns and ending with a black belt for Ode to Joy. Flutophone teaches basic finger movement and good tone production in preparation for future band instruments.

Grade 2 continues with Flutophones and work on musical notation basics. Students in Grade 2 are eligible to join Lower School Chorus, which meets once a week and sings at Mass and in 2 concerts during the year.  Lower School Chorus includes Grades 2-4.

Grade 3 makes the switch to recorders and concentrates on reading music and understanding form, tempo and style and notation basics while playing the recorder in a band setting. They also learn about the different instrument families and get to actually try different instruments and find the one that speaks to them.

In the Grade 4, music class is Marching Band. Students choose a band instrument such as clarinet, sax, flute, trumpet, trombone, baritone or drums. Instrumental rental information is provided and group lessons are available after school once a week. This beginning band performs at the Christmas concert and at Fine Arts Day.

Grades 5-8 continue Marching Band as a music class and prepare 2 concerts and 2 parades as a combined band. This year, Middle School students will also sing as a chorus in class and perform together at the Christmas concert and Fine Arts Day. They are also learning a segment of Music History.

Here at St. Pius X School we make music!!!