Music

Preparatory Music: Kindergarteners learn about music through lively activities, including listening, singing, and moving. Through games and folk songs sing-alongs from diverse cultures, students learn musical concepts such as high and low, or loud and soft. Creative movement activities help students enjoy the music of composers such as Grieg and Haydn.

Beginning 1 Music: Traditional games and folk songs from many cultures help students begin to read and write simple melodic and rhythmic patterns. Students are introduced to the instruments of the orchestra through Prokofiev’s classic Peter and the Wolf . They explore how music tells stories in The Sorcerer’s Apprentice and are introduced to opera through a lively unit on Mozart’s Magic Flute .

Beginning 2 Music: Through traditional folk songs and games, students learn to read more complicated melodic patterns and rhythms. As the students listen to works by composers such as Vivaldi and Saint-Saëns, they learn to recognize these patterns in the music. Students will also sing along with folk songs, practice moving to music and begin to understand standard musical notation.

Introduction to Music: Introduction to Music is for students in grades 3-5 who are new to K¹² or just beginning their study of music. Using traditional folk songs, students learn most of the skills covered in the K¹² Beginning 1 and 2 Music courses.

Intermediate 1 Music: Through traditional folk songs and games, students learn to read and write a variety of musical patterns. They learn to play simple melodies and rhythms on the recorder. They become more familiar with the orchestra, especially the woodwind and brass families, and learn about the lives and works of Bach, Handel, Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven.

Intermediate 2 Music: Students expand their knowledge of rhythm and learn about the Romantic period in music. Students also study harmony and practice recognizing pentatonic patterns. Finally, they take a musical trip through Europe, Africa, the Middle East, the Caribbean, Japan, and China.

Intermediate 3 Music: This semester introduces the Modern period in music, with listening activities to help students recognize Modern music and identify pieces by individual composers. Students also explore American folk music as they follow the expansion of the country westward. Finally, they learn to recognize the major forms of classical music: three-part song form, theme and variations, rondo, sonata allegro, and fugue.

Exploring Music: Exploring Music is for fifth-graders who are new to the K¹² Music program. This course presents the basics of traditional music appreciation through singing and the study of music in history and culture. Students begin by studying some of the most important classical composers, and then study traditional music from around the country and around the world. Finally, they learn how to follow the form of a piece of music.

Music Concepts A: This traditional music course teaches the fundamentals of music as they relate to the piano key and a study of a select group of composers and their music, including Beethoven and Mozart. Students complete lessons using the Music Ace CD-ROM, Student Guides, and listening CDs. Lesson content is not online.

Music Concepts B: Music Concepts B is the second course in the Music Concepts Series. This is a traditional music course that teaches the fundamentals of music as they relate to the piano key, and studies of a select group of composers and their music, such as Chopin and Verdi. Students complete lessons using the Music Ace CD-ROM, Student Guides, and listening CDs. Lesson content is not online.

Music Appreciation: This course covers the fundamentals of music (such as rhythm, beat, melody, harmony, form, and expression), and a survey of music history beginning with early music of the Greeks and the Middle Ages. The course concludes with Modern music of composers such as Copland and Prokofiev.