Meet Mrs. Dominguez

You can contact me at dominguezk@friscoisd.org

Hello Tiny Titans! I am Mrs. Dominguez and I am the music teacher here at Curtsinger Elementary! I began teaching here in the spring of 2017, and have loved every second of it! I graduated from the University of North Texas with a Bachelor of Music in Music Education, focusing on elementary music and percussion.

While at UNT, I performed with many ensembles, including the Symphonic Band, Marching Band, Gamelan Ensemble, Steel Band, Percussion Ensemble and Women's Chorus. Although I love performing, my passion is teaching and sharing the many variations and facets of music with others. On Friday nights and Saturdays in the fall, you can find me working with the RL Turner High School Drumline, where my husband is the percussion director! In my free time, I enjoy cooking, baking, playing percussion and piano and planning vacations!

Students at Curtsinger will learn many musical ideas while they are in music class. Each grade level builds on the previous, and I am lucky to get to see kids grow musically from Kindergarten all the way through 5th grade.

In Kindergarten, students learn how to find the steady beat in any song, identify their five main voice types, and differentiate between high/low, loud/soft, fast/slow and same/different. Students will do lots of movement and play on various instruments throughout kindergarten, including drums, triangles and xylophones. They will also experience singing and moving in groups and by themselves. They will also have the opportunity to perform for an audience at our annual Gingerbread Night!

Throughout First Grade, students will learn how to musically identify some of ideas they learned in kindergarten. Their musical vocabulary will increase to include tempo, dynamics, solfege and rhythmic values. Students will be able to identify various instrument families as well as play many percussion instruments found in the music room. They will continue to experience moving with and leading the class in steady beat movements.

In Second Grade, students will add even more to their musical vocabulary, while also exploring new ways of creating music. Using instruments, they will begin to explore improvisation and will begin to read music on a staff. Movement in music class will also now include choreographed dances in groups and individually. Second graders will have the opportunity to perform a musical in the spring.

Third Graders continue to grow in their musical vocabulary and capabilities. They will create their own musical ideas using parts of a pentatonic scale and various rhythmic values. They will be constantly reading music, moving to music and performing music. Third grade students have the opportunity to see a live opera performance in the fall.

In Fourth Grade, students will begin to experience many new ideas in music class! They will be introduced to the recorder for the first time during class, and will have an opportunity to join choir outside of school. They will be learning how to control their breath and improve their fine-motor skills while using the recorder, while also developing melodic and rhythmic skills. Their musical vocabulary will grow to include form, articulations and more dynamics and tempos. Their music reading skills will be crossed over from xylophones to recorders, and their creativity will continue to be stretched on these instruments. Students will also begin to study music history, where they will learn the beginnings of music and listen to a variety of literature throughout the year.

Throughout Fifth Grade, students will continue to expand on their recorder experiences from Fourth Grade, and will be able to play a wide range of notes. Students will be asked to identify various details in music including variations in meter, tempo, and dynamics. They will have the opportunity to go to a Symphony Concert and experience concert music live. Students will also be invited again to join choir that meets outside of school! Towards the end of year, students will begin learning middle school music ideas, as well as learn more about their various fine arts options for middle and high school.