Music Department 音楽科

    At GKA, students experience music through a comprehensive, sequential, longitudinal curriculum using the Jump Right In method. We are the first school to implement the "Jump Right In" curriculum from grades 1 through 12. As a result, our students have not only mastered basic musical abilities, such as carrying a tune and keeping a steady beat, but sing and play their instruments with a high level of expression and musicality.  First in a general music setting and then as a specialized subject (instrumental music),  students explore the two basic concepts of music: tonality and rhythm. These concepts, along with composition and improvisation, extend from music to other disciplines such as language acquisition, writing, social studies and science in the upper grades.  

    Students receive a general music education from 1st-4th grade after which 5th grade students are introduced to recorder. Recorder prepares them for the instrumental music program which begins in the 6th grade and continues throughout high school.  Participating in the instrumental program is considered vital to a student's education at GKA and it is required that all students learn to become proficient on at least one wind or percussion instrument. In both the elementary and secondary schools, students have the opportunity to experience performing in small and large ensembles at various school events and festivals.