Students receive a 30-minute lesson once a week during the school day. They may choose to play violin, viola, or cello. Lessons include learning: how to hold the instrument and bow, a growing repertoire of songs, improvising (creating music spontaneously) and composing (writing music).
Students continue to receive a 30-minute lesson once a week during the school day. Lesson include learning: new techniques for their instrument, more difficult songs, music with multiple parts, improvising (creating music spontaneously) and composing (writing music). Students may also participate in an optional after-school ensemble that takes place on Mondays from 2:30-3:30pm at the Cove School. Students will play music with multiple parts to prepare for orchestral music studied in fifth grade.
Students who participate in the fourth grade band will be taken out of class once a week for small group lessons during the school day. These lessons are a half hour long. Students are expected to make up any work they miss during their class.
Students in the band are also part of a large ensemble, which is all of the fourth grade band students from the five elementary schools combined. This ensemble meets weekly after school for an hour in preparation for our three concerts, which the students are expected to participate in. The location, day of the week, and specific time of the rehearsal varies each year based on site availability, other scheduling conflicts, etc... If students want to be in band, but you are concerned about being able to attend all of the after school rehearsals, I am happy to speak with you by phone or email to work out a schedule once the days/times for the rehearsal for the year are set. For specific information about rehearsals and concerts, please click here.