An introduction to playing the flute through use of the fife, a small plastic flute, in a fun and nurturing group setting. Students learn the basic techniques of good sound production and easy, efficient hand positions, which will transfer to flute when the student has sufficient reach. Students must provide their own fifes.
In this 14-week class, students learn to read music notation, develop good right- and left-hand technique, gain ensemble skills, and have fun with different kinds of music. Students must provide their own guitars.
Students learn basic piano skills and are introduced to beginning note reading. Students are expected to have access to a piano for daily home practice. Families are responsible for the purchase of class materials and books as specified by the teacher.
A four-week introduction to the instruments of the orchestra. Each week members of our faculty introduce a different instrument family—strings, woodwinds, brass and percussion—in a fun, interactive class. Students learn to produce sound on each instrument, observe live instrument demonstrations, and listen to recordings of great performers.
Singers are encouraged to develop their best vocal tone in a supportive, fun, and positive learning environment. Choristers develop pitch matching, experience singing harmony, learn vocal warm-ups, and respond to a conductor. Singers perform age-appropriate choral repertoire selected from a variety of genres, with an emphasis on Western Classical and multi-cultural music. Class culminates in a casual recital at the end of the semester.
For the youngest singers, this chorus introduces group singing using songs from around the world and throughout time—from chants and canons to folk songs and spirituals. Students learn age-appropriate vocal technique in a fun atmosphere, with an emphasis on body movement, hand gestures, some sign language, and drama. Classes culminate in a casual recital during the last class of each session.
The voice is every child’s first instrument. Grounded in the philosophy of composer Zoltán Kodály, this playful class uses traditional songs, chants, and singing games in a systematic way to teach children the basic building blocks of music: the ability to hear, to feel and reproduce rhythm and melody, to understand dynamics and tempo, to sing in tune, and to create music of their own. Younger children learn solfège; older children learn to read and write basic musical notation. Both age groups use games, songs, movement, percussion instruments, and puppets.
The Orff approach weaves together musical concepts, creative movement, instrument exploration, singing games, and dramatic storytelling to build a foundation for a lifetime of joyful music making. Classes include introductions to improvisation, conducting, and notation using a wide repertoire of songs, games, and activities from around the world, as well as our collection of xylophones and world music instruments. Children will gain skills and experience both individually and within the group, equipping them for instrumental study and participation in ensemble music making.