Music in Lower School

The Shipley Lower School music program is designed to nurture a love and appreciation of music as children learn to see themselves as music makers. The curriculum focuses on the development of vocal, instrumental, and literacy skills through singing, listening, playing, and reading activities. Areas of conceptual development include rhythm, melody, dynamics, tempo, meter, notation, form, and part work. Individual musicianship and creativity are fostered through utilization of pitch-matching exercises, solo-singing, game songs, improvisation, and ensemble work on barred and small percussion instruments. Many different musical styles, genres, and cultures are represented in the listening and vocal repertoires. Songs are oriented toward the seasons and holidays, and can be integrated into other subject areas through curriculum, plays and projects.

In Pre-K through third grade children develop a love of singing and an appreciation for music as they master new musical concepts and skills. Meter, form, and the musical phrase are taught using creative movement, singing, playing classroom instruments, and conducting. Curriculum integration in math, social studies, language arts, and science enables children to make connections with the world around them. Computer programs such as Music Ace, Professor Piccolo, and Menlo the Frog reinforce the music curriculum. In second grade and third grades, children are introduced to both recorder and Orff instruments with opportunities to create melodies and ostinato patterns. Through a variety of activities emphasizing exposure to many types of music and mastery of certain basic skills and concepts, each child's inherent musicality and creativity are encouraged. Performing opportunities throughout the year include Friday assemblies, all-school assemblies, a winter and spring concert, and classroom plays.

With an eye towards the Middle and Upper School, the music program shifts in fourth and fifth grade as children participate in various ensembles. In fourth grade, children rotate spending a third of the year with winds, a third with strings and a third with chorus. Once familiar with the different ensembles, each child commits in fifth grade to a single ensemble for the entire year. As well as learning their instruments, within the ensembles the music curriculum continues to build on five areas of conceptual development: melody, meter/tempo, notation, form, and part work. In addition to learning how to notate simple melodies and rhythm patterns, the children refine their skills by playing Orff, recorder, and other classroom instruments. Once in fifth grade, children are challenged to read and write music fluently. The computer programs Music Ace and Making More Music reinforce the music curriculum

Interdisciplinary opportunities include the fourth grade study of Colonial America, the Revolutionary War and the westward expansion as the instruments and songs of the early settlers provide great insight into the hearts of our forefathers. As part of their study of China, fifth graders compose their own pentatonic scales and pieces, as they review and study Chinese instruments, songs, and dances. An overview of the musical contributions of the Ancient Greek civilization correlates with the fifth grade study of Greece. In both fourth and fifth grade, children are encouraged to appreciate music of the great composers as they are introduced to different periods of music history. Friday assemblies, all-school assemblies, winter and spring choral concerts, advanced vocal ensemble, a recorder ensemble and string ensembles complete the curriculum and performance opportunities. Along with the ensembles, which meet during the school day, children have the option in fourth and fifth grade of joining a recorder ensemble and advanced chorus both of which meet in the mornings before school and offer multiple performance opportunities. Private individual music lessons are also available.