Welcome to the Concord Elementary School Music Department, where children in Kindergarten through Fourth Grade learn to experience and express the joy of music through speech, singing, movement, the use of instruments, listening and performance. Students have general music classes for 30 minutes, once a week, where the basic elements, symbols, tools, processes, style, history, culture, vocabulary and the uniqueness of music are introduced or reinforced, depending on the grade level. Basic elements of rhythm, steady beat, tempo, dynamics, timbre/tone color, melody and form are introduced at the Kindergarten level, then built upon in grades 1-4. The singing voice is one of the main topics covered as a tool in all grades. The process of learning the staff, notational system and music vocabulary is introduced in K-2 then broadened within grades 3-4.
ASSEMBLIES
The students will learn and experience the unique qualities of music, along with similarities within other art forms, through various activities in their weekly music classes and performances throughout the school year. The students will review the Patriotic Songs of our country. Students will also become familiar with "Good Character Assets" and continue the all school "Caring Beings" and "Manners Matter" themes through song and movement. Annually, we prepare an all school assembly with songs that include various positive character assets. Students will continue to be encouraged to show appropriate Performance and Assembly Behavior through L. R. A.-LISTEN, RESPECT and APPRECIATE. This is still being reinforced during regular music classes and all school assemblies.
MAESTRO
Every student will be chosen to be the "MAESTRO" helper in one of their music classes during the year. They always choose which row of students may line up first at the end of class and provide assistance with any additional needs that may arise during their music class. To support our school improvement goal and enhance literacy, the "MAESTRO" in Second Grade will choose a letter of the alphabet, then read a brief excerpt from the book, "M is for Melody", the Musical Alphabet, at the beginning of each class.
ROUND TABLE
Also continuing will be the "ROUND TABLE", where students are randomly invited to spend a few minutes at the end of their lunch time with the music teacher in the music room. They may come alone or choose one friend in their grade to join them. This allows an opportunity to connect and get to know students and their interests, outside of their regularly scheduled music class.
PERFORMANCES
Each grade level performs a Music Program sometime during the school year. Third and fourth grade students may join the Junior Chorus which meets for one hour, once a week, after school on Tuesday or Wednesday (October-April), with a few performances throughout the school year. Check out the Calendar page for Grade Level, Junior Chorus and All School Performance dates .
Angela Zurawski, Concord General/Vocal/Choral Music Teacher