Music Curriculum

 

Pre Kindergarten

 

Music class is designed to create an environment where the students can’t wait to come to class every week. The students are introduced to concepts that most schools wait until the students are much older. It is within this school’s curriculum that the basics of reading music are introduced which includes:

• Counting Rhythms
• Note Values
• Note Identification
• Choreography
• Singing
• Music Theory Concepts
• Introduction to Instruments
• Music Appreciation via listening to various styles of music on the CD player and piano
• Performing etiquette
• Performance Opportunities on Stage

Junior Kindergarten

The JK curriculum  introduces the basics of reading music (including recognizing and writing music notes), music appreciation, performance etiquette, singing and matching pitches, recognition of musical instruments, how to warm-up vocally and  group two-part singing to name a few.  There are also two concerts per school year wherein the student will perform.

Kindergarten

In the Kindergarten Music class students expect the following:

• A loving, nurturing environment
• Vocal warm-ups to encourage matching pitches and proper singing technique
• Board work and competitions to learn basic mechanics of music
• An introduction to sight reading music
• Writing and noting notes and simple melodies
• Musical flash cards
• Music appreciation via listening to CD’s of classical music and introduction to Music History
• 2 concerts; one for Christmas, choral 2-part harmony music, and one for the spring with Broadway selections which are choreographed
• Movement to help with explanations about rhythms and how to interpret them
• Singing songs that are age appropriate and ones that they should know
• Performance etiquette

Elementary School

In the Elementary Music class students expect the following:

• vocal music and proper singing techniques for unified sound
• music theory concepts which lead to the ability to read and comprehend music
• sight singing techniques
• performance opportunities and proper etiquette
• Christmas concert which incorporates 2-part choral singing
• Spring concert which showcases Broadway choreographed songs
• Music appreciation while introducing Music History and composers
• Movement
• Board games corresponding to music
• Vocal warm-ups
• Students have music once a week

by 3rd grade, the emphasis is on 2-part choral singing, vocal warm-ups for pitch matching, proper performance etiquette, music theory lessons which incorporates the skill of reading notes, sight singing exercises, music appreciation, music games, scale writing, basic music writing in different key signatures, choreographed singing to Broadway songs, and teaching the skill of reading rhythms.

 

Middle School Music

The goals in music class for the 6th, 7th and 8th grade first semester are to introduce the students to music theory and depending on their level, place the students in the proper workbook to support their musical literacy which involves regular testing.  Another goal is to teach sight singing using the solfege method of singing by assigning “Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti, Do” to the letter names of the notes according to what key the song is written in with regularly scheduled vocal checks.  Pitch matching is imperative, as well as teaching the student how to read parts in choral singing as they sing with a uniform sound. Regular choral music is introduced as well as hymn-style singing for the Christmas program. The following list is what a student can expect to study in music class at Saint Joseph’s as well as the many benefits:

• key signatures
• sight singing/basic reading of music
• three-part harmony singing (soprano, alto, tenor)
• uniform singing with proper vowel pronunciation
• concert and performance etiquette
• behavior in a choir and the discipline required for a good choir
• team work
• note names
• musical terms
• basic music theory
• pitch matching, helping students who struggle in this area
• breath control
• vocal warm-ups
• Christmas concert in December (Nine Lessons and Carols) which involves singing mostly hymns in three-part harmony
• Featured singing in church
• Listening skills are emphasized

The second semester consists of participation in a chosen musical.  Those cast, which is the majority of the class, are expected to rehearse the music in preparation for the musical scheduled for the end of the year. The music teacher is responsible for teaching the music to the students and coaching them to become stronger leaders on stage with their performance contributions. The music teacher also is responsible for organizing the orchestra, playing the piano for accompaniment for all performances and rehearsals as the students are carefully and lovingly coached to new heights. The following are expectations and benefits of participating in a music-drama class at Saint Joseph’s:
-     how to audition for a musical

• help overcome fears of being on stage
• become stronger leader as a stage performer
• singing out, Broadway style, rather than choral style
• becoming a soloist
• theatre etiquette
• discipline of stage work and rehearsal
• responsible for learning individual musical parts
• part-singing in the group numbers
• learning to sing and dance at the same time
• learning to sing with an orchestra or small trio of accompaniment