Music News
September News
Music with Mr. Kello
September was a thrilling and inspiring “overture” to our new music program. It began with a simple and lively prelude, where all the children introduced themselves by counting out the beats and clapping the rhythms of their own names — already beginning to make a connection between language and its inherently musical nature. All grade levels then embarked on a deep and engaging discovery of the very process of listening itself. Students learned that the kind of listening which is required in music class is unique – that it entails not only increased focus, but also an active and discerning mind. They were presented with a varied mix of random sound samples, ranging from car engines revving, horses galloping and birds chirping, to blues, rock, African and classical pieces, (… and even Tuvan throat singing!). In each case the students were asked to listen to the sounds they heard in an “active” way, by trying, not only to guess what object(s) were making them, but also to think critically about whether they qualified as “music.” We began the journey of music together by asking ourselves, first and foremost, what music actually is; and we discovered that in most cases, it implies sound that has become structured in some way. In the process, the children were exposed, right from the get go, to the limitless possibilities of music and sound, as well as many of their different cultural and historical expressions.
Grades K-2, then went on to develop their practice of active listening through an activity involving clay. They were given plates with different color clay pieces and were asked to listen to a succession of 2-3 notes played on the piano. The objective was for them to discern the difference between notes that sound the “same” vs. notes that sound “different;” and to mimic the pattern they heard, with “same” and “different” colored pieces of clay. This drew a strong connection with both their art and math lessons. Students were then asked to build “sculptures” with their clay pieces, thus internalizing the notion that music involves sound which has become structured in some way. The song of each of their sculptures was then played, one by one, on a guitar, which the students were only too happy to hear! Grades 3-5, went on to learn about the first and most fundamental way sound can become structured: rhythm. The students were tasked with identifying and following the “beat” to various music samples, and began to learn about notions such as “beat cycles” and “subdivisions,” thus being introduced to the inherently mathematical nature of music. All grade levels were then taught the now infamous “Tic Toc” song, which began to teach them musically, all of the various note values which they will be learning next month in actual notation. Overall, it’s been a fun, productive and inspiring start, to what will surely be a great and melodious year!
