Using their multimedia textbooks as a guide, the students listen to various instrumental ensembles, sing different songs, and play some simple percussion instruments. Each lesson is filled with theory, history, and performance references. The girls work on their own and in groups to hone their skills, compose their own rhythms and melodies, and think critically about the music.
In Music 6, we focus on a comprehensive scope of music theory, performance, and music history/appreciation. We learn these concepts by discovering and performing vocal and instrumental music from around the world.
Music Theory Concepts: rhythm, tonality, form, texture, intervals, pattern/sequences, melody, harmony, dynamics, tempo
Skills Learned: singing on pitch (solo and in ensemble), reading music on the staff
Performance Concepts: instrumental and vocal timbre, vocal range, listening and analysis, expression
Song examples: Swanee and Red River Valley (USA), El Payo and La Mariposa (Latin America), Wai Bamba (Africa), Farewell to Tarwathie (Scotland), Hava Nagila and Lo Yisa Goy (Israel), and many more.
We focus on basic guitar skills as the center of our music study. Their appreciation for music grows as they learn to play and sing international and popular songs. The girls work on their own and in pairs to carefully play each chord and rhythm accurately while simultaneously singing the melody.
We partner with Grade Eight Theater to put on a full-scale musical. The students learn to sing and act the solo and ensemble songs. Through this rehearsal process, the students learn solo and collaborative musical performance skills and gain a greater appreciation of musical theater.
The Stuart Instrumental Ensemble for strings, winds and brass, is conducted by the Westminster Conservatory of Music at no charge to students in Middle and Upper School. The Ensemble will rehearse on Wednesdays from 3:30 to 5:00 pm in the Music Library in Cor Unum at Stuart. Students must be able to commit to a weekly rehearsal schedule and are strongly encouraged to take lessons from a private teacher.
The Westminster Conservatory of Music also offers music classes after school for students in Kindergarten through Grade 12 at our brother school, Princeton Academy of the Sacred Heart. Download the 2011-2012 schedule.
Please contact Peggy Berlan at 609.921.7893 or mberlan@rider.edu.