I would like to take this opportunity to greet you and explain what will be happening in our music classes during this second half of the school year. First of all, I would like to share with you that you have exceeded my expectations! The FV community is excellent and I have felt right at home from the start. The students are willing and able to continue learning and we will try to make the transition to a new teacher as smooth and subtle as possible.
Broadly speaking, the methodology we will be applying in music class is active, flexible and, where possible, individualized and based on games and experiments, especially in preschool and primary.
We seek to develop musical sensitivity and awaken students’ interest in music from an early age. Preschool and primary students will learn some of the basic elements of music such as rhythm and melody using various methodologies (Kodaly, Willems, Orff, for instance). In all of the sessions we will try to combine and cover song, movement, rhythm, creation, and introduction to small percussion.
Primary students will continue to experience music in an active way and once they begin to internalize it, we will also introduce some more theoretical concepts.
In the middle years, the subject will be divided more clearly into several blocks: Music Theory and Practice (Solfeo and History of Music), Composition and Musical Creation (introduction to creation and musical notation softwares) and Band Music. We will continue focusing on the students´ interests and experimentation, leaving ample room for improvisation and creativity.
The two years of the Diploma Program are the culmination of musical studies at the school and will involve working on aspects of composition, interpretation and critical analysis of music, exposing students to the shapes, styles and functions of music in different historical and sociocultural contexts.
If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, I would love to hear from you!