MUSIC
Bradford Primary, K-4
What we do
We feel, therefore we learn.
We learn about the elements of music in an engaging way and we believe the body is the first instrument to be trained. We share our learning with others in performances throughout the year. Please see the 'Events' tab at the top of this page for Program: dates, times and titles. All students At Bradford Primary K-4 are taught music exclusively through the approach commonly called
Dalcroze Eurhythmics.
Dalcroze Eurhythmics
All students at Bradford Primary k-4 are taught music, by a certified Dalcroze teacher, exclusively through the approach set forth by the Swiss-French music theorist , Émile Jaques-Dalcroze (6 July 1865 – 1 July 1950). He believed in three pronged approach to experiencing music:
Eurhythmics: the study of the elements of music through movement.
Solfège-Rhythmique: the ear-training and sight-singing component of the Dalcroze approach. We primarily use 'fixed doh', though there is a 'moveable doh' component using numbers &
Improvisation: the 'thread' that runs through all learning.
Dalcroze Eurhythmics is the oldest and most comprehnsive of the modern music education 'methods'/approaches. The body is the first instrument to be trained and the body is trained not just to process and respond, but to interpret the music with nuanced beauty.
All Dalcroze teachers create their own activities and at Bradford we use intentional play to teach music and engage each student's imagination.
When and what we are studying in music class.
'The best way to study a discipline is to study it's elements.'
Dalcroze Overview
Bradford 2023-24
We immerse our learning in the ‘life-long learning’ elements of music through units of:
8/15 -8/30 Introduction, QR, Replace, Follow, Fire Drills, prepare the instrument. (1), Durations: long/short (2 rotations)
8/31 – 9/27 Durations: long/short; simple (5 classes), assessment (1 class) (3 Rotations of 2 classes each = 6 classes)
9/28 – 10/15 Rests, active silences/quality of silence (simple) (2 Rotations, 4 classes)
10/16 – 10/25 Holiday/Halloween Lit. (1 Rotation)
10/26 – 11/10 Compound Durations (2) & assessment (1) 2 Rotations)
11/14 – 11/28 Compound Rests, Thanksgiving & Autumn Celebrations
11/29 – 12/6 Tempo: Adagio, Andante & Allegro (1 Rotation)
12/7 – 12/14 Winter Literature
12/15 – 1/10 Nuance of tempi; Rit. & Accelerando (1 rotation)
1/11 – 1/29 Dynamics, pp-ff, (2 rotations of 5 classes + 1 assessment class)
1/30 – 2/6 Nuance of Dynamics: crescendo/dim, subito (1 rotation)
2/7 – 2/14 Accents: Dynamic, Agogic & Metric (1 rotation)
2/15 – 2/26 Meter: (1 rotation)
2/27 - 3/5 Timbre (1 rotation)
3/6 – 3/13 Phrase (2 rotations)
3/26 – 4/2 Articulation (1 rotation)
4/3 – 4/29 Greek Rhythms: Anapest, Dactylic, Iambic, Trochaic….
4/30 – 5/24 Curricula make-up because of performances & Year-end
Review
4/30 – 5/7 Durations & Tempi
5/8 – 5/15 Dynamics & Accents
5/16 – 5/24 Meter & Phrase Revised April 10,2024
A ‘rotation’ is 2 consecutive daily classes, i.e.,‘2 rotations’ would be four classes in a unit of study.
Regardless of the length of a unit, the latter day or a portion of the ‘rotation’ will be set aside for assessments by: moving, singing, playing, acting, improvising, composing, reading on a staff, taking dictation… .