All students at Eldorado participate in a comprehensive music program that includes singing, dancing, instrument playing, listening, music reading, writing, improvising and composing.

Ensemble experience includes playing melodic instruments such as xylophones, glockenspiels and metallophones which may be combined together with drums and a variety of small percussion.

Students in grades 3-6 also play recorders in music class. They participate in the Recorder Karate program where as students demonstrate proficiency they earn “belt” rankings advancing from white belt to black belt and beyond with additional songs added for note reading and playing proficiency.

Other experiences may include body percussion, stories/drama, beat/rhythm/ melodic studies, music history, music technology, improvising, composing, instrument making, ukulele, keyboard and guitar.

Students (grades 4-6) also have opportunities in before/after school programs to further their musical skills in Choir, Band and Orchestra.

KINDERGARTEN lessons begin with listening activities, sound sensitivity, the control of sound and silence, stop and go. The notation of sound and silence is the introduction to our musical code system. Rhythmic skills are introduced through long and short sounds; melodic skills are developed with high and low sounds, and vocal inflections. Students are introduced to a variety of small percussion instruments and instruments of the tone bars (xylophones, metallophones, and glockenspiels). Large body movement, then arm and shoulder, and finally, the training of finger dexterity, is the sequence used in developing coordination skills. Students learn cooperation and teamwork in music through singing games, dances and musical conversations with poems/rhymes/stories, and puppetry. Emphasis is on steady beat and beginning rhythmic notation with quarter notes and rests (tah and rest) and students start learning how to sing and play in a bigger group (ensemble). Joyful music making and a positive self image are overall goals!

FIRST GRADE classes continue their experiences of listening, imitation and exploration by moving forward with new interpretations of musical concepts. Ensemble playing is emphasized by playing tone bars (xylophones, metallophones, and glockenspiels) in a larger group. Notation skills are developing through movement, rhythmic and melodic speech, instrumental patterns, and improvisation much like language development. First grade activities include listening, singing, movement, body percussion, dance, beat/rhythm games, improvisation, reading/writing, (tah, ti-ti and rest) poems/stories and puppetry. Students also develop concepts of stop/go, loud/quiet, and finger plays. They explore sound settings with small instrument and tone bar ensembles and reinforce basic playing and mallet techniques. Students enjoy musical celebrations of seasonal and patriotic songs.

2nd grade musical experiences include movement, body percussion, dance, singing, playing (small percussion, drums and tone bars), listening, analyzing, reading/writing and composing. The elements of music are emphasized including beat, rhythm, tempo, dynamics and articulation. Unit themes include patriotic songs from America and England plus classic stories. Musical activities introduce circle dances, contra dances and partner songs with the continuation of simple rhythms and notation (quarter notes, rests, eighth notes and half notes). Ear training and the introduction of solfege (musical pitches with hand signs) are introduced. Students create instrumental and tone bar sound settings and have opportunities to participate in individual and/or group performances on performance days.

3rd grade musical activities emphasize folk songs and music games from around the world. Experiences include movement/dance, singing, playing (small percussion, drums and tone bars), listening, analyzing, reading/writing music notation and improvising. Students are also introduced to 2 and 3 part singing, more complex rhythms (dotted half note and sixteenth notes). Students expand their vocabulary of musical elements: rhythm, tempo, dynamics, pitch and articulation with beginning recorder study starting in January. Students also have the opportunity to participate in individual or group performances on performance days.

4th grade musical experiences include movement/dance, singing, playing (recorder, small percussion, drums and tone bars, recorder, ukulele), listening, analyzing, and music notation (basic rhythms plus dotted quarter note, single eighth note and triplet). Emphasis is on seasonal songs and songs with connections to Colorado. Ensemble participation and extensions of basic elements of music including beat, rhythm, pitch, dynamics, articulation, melody and harmony are highlighted in a wide variety of songs and dances. Students can excel on recorder and also have the opportunity to begin ukulele study. Students have opportunities to participate in individual and/or group performances on performance days. Students are introduced to orchestral instruments and are eligible for extra curricular Choir, Band and Orchestra participation.

5th grade musical experiences include expansion of previous activities with movement/dance, singing, playing (recorder, small percussion, drums, tone bar ensemble, recorder, ukulele), listening, analyzing, reading/writing, forms of music and dictation. Musical concepts are explored through "Traveling Songs" from around the world with emphasis on syncopation and complex rhythms, partner songs, countermelody and 3-4 part harmonies. Students have opportunities to participate in individual and/or group performances on performance days and are also eligible for extra curricular Choir, Band and Orchestra participation.

6th grade students study American musical styles from 1900 to present day (from Ragtime to Rap and beyond) plus relationships to American history. Experiences include creating movement and dance, singing, playing, composing, critical listening and evaluation/analysis, notation (2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 6/8 time signatures plus dotted, syncopated and 16th note rhythms), pitch reading, introduction to guitar, keyboard and garage band. Students perform in guitar and tone bar ensembles using more advanced playing and mallet techniques. They have opportunities for group and solo performances on performance days. Students work on reading, writing and employing the language and vocabulary of music in discussing musical examples and the elements of music. All students are eligible for optional Choir, Band and Orchestra participation.