Music Classes at Redeemer Lutheran School
Music is an important part of the curriculum at RLS. All students in grades PK-10 have at least one music class per week. Classwork is student-centered and focused on reading, creating and performing music. Musical repertoire ranges from traditional hymns to folk and classical music from around the world.
Curriculum
Pre-Kindergarten: Students learn to use their different voices (speaking, singing, whispering, calling) and to echo the teacher. They sing a variety of songs and learn to work together as a musical community.
Kindergarten: Students build on their work in Pre-Kindergarten and explore steady beat, dynamics (loud and soft), tempo (fast and slow) and basic music notation. They also play classroom rhythm instruments and work on their ensemble skills through singing and playing instruments.
Grade 1: Students expand their skills to include introductory pitch reading as well as playing simple patterns on pitched percussion instruments. They continue to work on proper singing and instrumental technique as well as an expanded repertoire of music and singing games.
Grade 2: Students learn more complex rhythmic patterns and begin to play and sing as a vocal and instrumental ensemble. Harmony is introduced through call-and-response pieces and pieces with simple rhythmic and pitched accompaniments.
Grade 3: Students begin their wind instrument study with basic recorder technique. They incorporate recorder playing into their repertoire of instrumental ensemble music. Harmonic study continues with the introduction of rounds and partner songs. Students learn how to use the hymnal as well in preparation for weekly chapel services.
Grade 4: Fourth grade students continue their recorder study through the study and performance of more complex pieces of music. Rounds and partner songs continue to be sung and played and multi-part songs and instrumental pieces are introduced.
Grade 5: Fifth grade students build on their previous years of study and expand their knowledge of harmony to beginning studies of chordal harmony and simple orchestration. Guitar study is introduced and students learn basic technique and chord structures. Students also learn to compose and arrange music through experiences with digital-audio workstations.
Grade 6: Sixth grade students continue their guitar study and learn different accompaniment patterns as well as refine their ensemble playing and singing. They study topics in world music and music history and complete composition projects in a variety of musical forms.
Grades 7 and 8: Seventh and eighth grade students have a weekly music class where they create, explore and perform music. They play a variety of classroom instruments, including hand chimes, guitar, drums and Orff xylophones. They also refine their composition skills and work in a variety of media to create interdisciplinary projects including music along with other art forms.
Grades 9 and 10: High school students have a rotating curriculum which explores the elements of music one year (pitch, rhythm, harmony, melody, form, timbre) and music history from the Middle Ages to the present during the second year. Students create individual and group projects based on a variety of topics which utilize educational music technology. They also have the opportunity to sing chapel hymns as a class each week and perform on classroom instruments to supplement their theoretical study.
Redeemer Lutheran High School participates in the Pennsylvania Music Education Association (PMEA) District 5 Chorus, Region 1 Chorus & All-State auditioned events each school year. This is a high honor to be selected for and great musical experience for young singers. Students who are selected learn contemporary and classical repertoire and sing with guest conductors from all over the world.