Mrs. Tober
Music at Holy Trinity School
| Recorder Link for 4th Grade | |
| Link to Early Childhood Song Lyrics |
Children at HTS are introduced to music through Orff-Schulwerk, an approach to music education created by composers Carl Orff and Gunild Keetman. Just as children learn to speak before they can read and write, music education encourages singing and playing instruments before learning to read and notate music. Our students experience elemental music in ways that are natural to them: singing, games, movement and other playful activities. Students develop technique and skills in playing classroom instruments, and have many opportunities to improvise based upon those skills and knowledge. The primary goals are confidence and success at each level.
Lower School Music (1st – 4th Grades)
Children in first through fourth grade have music once-a-week. Students learn to sing on pitch, build a repertoire of folk, seasonal and liturgical music, experience music through movement and dance, play instruments to accompany speech and music, associate symbols with rhythms and melodies (note reading), experience songs, dances and games from various cultures, and connect music with other subject areas. Xylophones, metallophones, and glockenspiels are used, as well as a wide variety of unpitched percussion instruments. Recorder is introduced in third grade, and study continues in fourth grade.
Early Childhood Music and Movement (Pre-K and Kindergarten)
Children in Pre-K have music and movement four times a week, for 30 minutes. Kindergartners have music and movement three times a week, for 40 minutes. The curriculum combines music, movement and physical education concepts, with an emphasis on individual improvement and group cooperation. The Orff-Schulwerk approach, described above, is used to introduce rhythm, steady beat, singing, tempo, movement and expression. Movement and physical education skills covered include: eye-hand coordination, cross lateral movement, large motor skills (running, kicking, skipping, etc), fine motor skills (holding, catching, pinching, grasping), balance and coordination, basic tumbling and rolling, introduction to the fundamentals of sports (soccer, basketball, floor hockey, frisbee, kick ball), and individual play (jumping rope, hula hoops, scooters).
Lower School Chorus
Lower School Chorus introduces children in 3rd and 4th grade to the joys of ensemble singing and provides them with a unique and enriching opportunity to serve as song leaders for our school community. The LS Chorus sings at school liturgies and occasional events in the community. Music for school liturgies, as well as seasonal and traditional songs, will be learned. Rehearsals take place on Mondays (4th grade) Wednesdays(3rd grade) after lunch. Please contact Mrs. Tober (mtober@htsdc.org) with any questions about LS Chorus.
General Homework Policy
Early Childhood and Lower School students will not have music homework on a regular basis. Children learning to play the recorder are the exception! Recorder is introduced in the Spring of 3rd grade and continues in 4th grade. Students will have short assignments each week, one or two songs, to practice for the next class. All students are encouraged to sing for their parents the songs they learn at school! Ask your child often what they did in music class. You will hear about singing (nursery rhymes, folk songs, seasonal songs and music for liturgy) playing instruments, folk dancing, games, and acting out stories with song and movement
Fun Music Websites
PBS Kids “Chuck Vanderchurck’s Something Something Explosion”
San Francisco Symphony, SFS Kids