Music Notes

Marcy Casilio

We’re off to a smooth start in music class.  First graders visit a magical place called “Music Land” each time they come. Music Land is a place where we sing simple songs based on ‘so-la-mi’ such as Lucy Locket, Cobbler Cobbler and Starlight.  During this time, we also get a turn to play an instrument:  drum, triangle, tambourine, vibraslap and more.  We are learning about our different voices, (talking, shouting, whispering and singing) and when it is appropriate to use them.

Second graders are enjoying their music classes by playing instruments also.  We’ve reviewed the mechanics of how to play percussion instruments while we sing, and now we’re playing the xylophones! 

Third graders have been working at singing with good ‘intonation’ (sounding like one voice).  This is a quality sought after by the best of choirs!  They have made wonderful strides towards better intonation and I’m always so amazed at how their pitch-matching skills have improved.  We are reviewing good technique as we play the xylophones while singing.  We are also sight-reading simple ‘so-la-mi’ and then creating our own patterns on the spot (beginning improvisation).

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updated 9/25/08