Junior School Music

List of 4 items.

• Kindergarten

  In Kindergarten, students develop an awareness of the elements of music through playful song experiences and creative movement. The Kindergarten music program incorporates playful, interactive, and developmentally appropriate music and movement activities for each student. Each lesson includes a greeting song, story time, and instrument play, which encourages creative participation from the boys. Students will gain an opportunity to learn various songs, try instruments, and explore movement with music. They will explore musical concepts including beat, rhythm, harmony, melody, tempo, and pitch. Through play and movement, each Kindergarten student will gain an opportunity to fully express themselves.

• Grade 1–3

  Music in the primary grades at St. George’s School incorporates singing, listening, movement, and playing instruments to help create a fun and dynamic musical learning experience. The program, Musicplay, uses the Kodaly and Orff methods to teach young children about music. Students have the opportunity to perform at our annual Winter Concert in December and a Spring Musical in May/June. Students from Grade 3 and 4 have the option to join the Junior Choir, which runs for two terms during the school year. The Junior Choir performs at the Winter Concert in addition to some Assemblies throughout the school year.

• Grade 4

  In Grade 4 Music, students connect musical notation to instrumental play. They experiment with the recorder and the ukulele, familiarizing themselves with levelled songs to perform. They also investigate body percussion to build their understanding of rhythm. Individual and group performances allow students to demonstrate their skills in a multitude of settings. Finally, students are encouraged to take risks to experiment through the making of their own music using either online platforms or with instruments provided in class. The skills used in Grade 4 are to propel them for success in the Grade 5 Band.

  
  
  

• Grade 5–7

  Grade 5 is an opportunity for students to explore even more instrumental music, with the year divided into a term each on clarinet, trumpet, and ukulele. This year is an introduction to both woodwind and brass instruments, as well as an opportunity to expand on ukulele technique. Ukulele class also includes string bass, electric bass, drum set, and piano. At the end of the year, students learn about concert band instruments. With great care and consideration, each student is placed on one of twelve different band instruments, which they will learn and perform on during their Grade 6 and 7 years.

  
  

  In Grade 6, students have their first concert band experience with regular classes three days a week. Throughout the year, students will learn and perform a variety of styles of music and focus on building their individual instrument skills. All new boys are welcomed into the program and receive specialized instruction to facilitate their smooth transition into the band program.

  
  

  Grade 7 students expand on the skills they have built in Grade 6 and continue to explore more challenging repertoire. They will have the opportunity to perform at both the Winter and Spring Concerts and also participate in the Kiwanis Festival. Grade 7s have two classes per week and will also be members of the Grade 7 Advanced Band on Thursday mornings.