Music

Classroom Music Classes - an inclusive approach to music literacy

At Bishop Noland Episcopal Day School, music is an integral part of the overall curriculum. Beginning with Pre-Kindergarten three-year-olds and continuing through Kindergarten, music classes are taught once a week for thirty (30) minutes. In 1st - 3rd grades, music classes are extended to one, forty-five (45) minute class per week.

Classes are taught based on the music philosophy of Zoltan Kodaly. Students learn a wide variety of American Folk Songs and games. Music literacy begins through singing the folk-songs and playing games. Students learn tuneful singing, independent singing, keeping a steady beat, as well as readiness elements relating to changing tempo, dynamics, and tone. Socially, students learn cooperative play, build attention spans, follow directions, and take turns. Students develop gross motor skills through fun activities.

As the years progress, students learn to read and write music off staff and stick notation using solfa-syllables. Students learn to improvise melodies and rhythms based on known musical elements. Students learn an appreciation of music as a great art and about musical eras through listening activities designed to identify various elements in the music; rhythm, musical scale or ostinato, dynamics, etc.