November 2023

In the music room we’ve been practicing playing music as an ensemble. This includes singing with a mezzo forte dynamic (so we can clearly hear the vocal parts) as well as learning instrumental parts to accompany the songs. Listen to an audio sample of students singing and playing instruments to the song “Find Your Light” here.

Over the past couple of weeks, preschool through 2nd grade learned “Pass the Pumpkin All Around” and 3rd grade through 6th grade learned the song “Pass Around the Broomstick.” To accompany these songs, students practiced playing individual parts on the xylophone, egg shakers, tambourines, guiros, and a gong. Listen to an audio sample of Pass Around the Broomstick here.

In addition, both of these songs are also games that help students practice keeping a steady beat while also working on their teamwork skills.

A key competence many students are still working on is starting and ending a song with silence, which is the frame of music. Much like a work of art at a museum has a frame that sets it apart, so too does music have a frame that sets it apart from the noise of everyday life. Moving forward, we will continue working on this competence to help students become skilled musicians who can listen and respond effectively to the music they listen to and perform.