Palo Alto Unified School District
Music Program
Music Program
PAUSD Music Office
25 Churchill Bldg E
Palo Alto CA 94306
650.329.3944
Kelly Martin - Director, Visual and Performing Arts
kmartin@pausd.org
Jennifer Hunter - Program Assistant, VAPA
jhunter@pausd.org
In Kindergarten through 3rd grades, all students in the twelve elementary schools receive 30 minutes of music instruction each week taught by credentialed music teachers. Students learn to keep a steady beat, sing in a variety of styles, match pitch, learn to play small percussion instruments, and begin to sing and read solfege. In 4th grade, students receive music instruction twice each week for 40 minutes. Students extend their musical skills by singing, practicing solfege, and learning to play the recorder.
In the 5th grade, all students learn to play a Wind or String Instrument. Students start from the very beginning on their instruments. However, teachers differentiate their instruction to support students who are not beginners by allowing them to choose a different instrument, shift into a different position, play notes an octave higher, or serve as a mentor for beginners. To deliver this instruction, a team of music teachers travels to each elementary school. The “Music Team” consists of band and string teachers. If a student chooses a wind instrument: flute, clarinet, trumpet, trombone, euphonium, they will participate in band. If a student chooses a string instrument: violin, viola, cello, and double bass, students will participate in the string orchestra. Instruction occurs twice a week for a total of eighty minutes.
Unique advantages of this program are:
Students are taught by credentialed music teachers
Students do not miss any classroom instruction
Students receive a strong foundation on their instrument, which prepares them to continue to participate in one of the district's outstanding performing ensembles in 6th - 12th grade.
More information for 5th grade families:
Each of the Palo Alto middle schools offers a variety of exciting music courses to meet the needs of students. In the sixth grade, all students take music every
other day (band, orchestra, or choir). In the seventh and eighth grades students can elect to participate in orchestra, choir, jazz band, concert band and symphonic band. When possible, innovative scheduling permits team teaching in band and orchestra classes.
High School music electives include Concert Band, Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Band, Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra, Treble Choir, Concert Choir, Advanced Vocals, and AP Music Theory. Both high schools host award winning ensembles and many groups travel internationally.