The Music Curriculum
I follow a curriculum that is primarily based on Dr. John M. Feierabend's Conversational Solfege methodology.
Conversational Solfege is for children who have already developed their tuneful, beatful, and artful skills and are ready to develop a deeper understanding of melody and rhythm first by ear through solfege and rhythm syllables and later through notation. Patterns, folk songs and rhymes as well as classical music are the primary source materials that are used to develop those musical skills.
Conversational Solfege borrows from the model of learning language and develops music literacy skills through a 12 stage process culminating in ones’ ability to write original music thoughts (compose). Beginning with the simplest rhythm and tonal patterns, each stage introduces a new level of understanding while building upon the previous understandings. Gradually, expanded rhythm and tonal content is learned through the same 12 stages.
The twelve stages of Conversational Solfege seem especially well suited to learning an art which is aural; music. Learning to understand music by ear and later, reading and writing, ensures that the ear and musical mind are playing an active role in the processing of musical ideas. It ensures that understanding and creating music occurs through the musical manipulation of sounds rather than the mere manipulation of symbols The manipulation of symbols does not necessarily evoke musical thinking; whereas the manipulation of sounds pursues the desired goal.After all “music” is not the symbols found on the printed page but the sounds that reach the ear. In most European countries, the word “music” does not refer to the printed copy. Music can not be seen…only heard. The printed copy is referred to as the “notation.” Notation is the skeleton of music. We must breathe life into the skeleton to make music.
To learn more about the 12 step process please visit:
http://www.feierabendmusic.org/
Chorus, and 4th Grade Recorders
CHORUS: All students will participate in chorus during their music class. They will perform in our Gildersleeve Winter Concert.
RECORDER: 4th grade students will learn to play the recorder after returning from Winter Break. Students will be provided a recorder, method book, and group instruction during music class. Students will be expected to practice at home and bring their materials to class each week.
I follow a curriculum that is primarily based on Dr. John M. Feierabend's Conversational Solfege methodology.
Conversational Solfege is for children who have already developed their tuneful, beatful, and artful skills and are ready to develop a deeper understanding of melody and rhythm first by ear through solfege and rhythm syllables and later through notation. Patterns, folk songs and rhymes as well as classical music are the primary source materials that are used to develop those musical skills.
Conversational Solfege borrows from the model of learning language and develops music literacy skills through a 12 stage process culminating in ones’ ability to write original music thoughts (compose). Beginning with the simplest rhythm and tonal patterns, each stage introduces a new level of understanding while building upon the previous understandings. Gradually, expanded rhythm and tonal content is learned through the same 12 stages.
The twelve stages of Conversational Solfege seem especially well suited to learning an art which is aural; music. Learning to understand music by ear and later, reading and writing, ensures that the ear and musical mind are playing an active role in the processing of musical ideas. It ensures that understanding and creating music occurs through the musical manipulation of sounds rather than the mere manipulation of symbols The manipulation of symbols does not necessarily evoke musical thinking; whereas the manipulation of sounds pursues the desired goal.After all “music” is not the symbols found on the printed page but the sounds that reach the ear. In most European countries, the word “music” does not refer to the printed copy. Music can not be seen…only heard. The printed copy is referred to as the “notation.” Notation is the skeleton of music. We must breathe life into the skeleton to make music.
To learn more about the 12 step process please visit:
http://www.feierabendmusic.org/
Chorus, and 4th Grade Recorders
CHORUS: All students will participate in chorus during their music class. They will perform in our Gildersleeve Winter Concert.
RECORDER: 4th grade students will learn to play the recorder after returning from Winter Break. Students will be provided a recorder, method book, and group instruction during music class. Students will be expected to practice at home and bring their materials to class each week.