The Magic of Music in May
Music is a vibrant, joyful thread that is woven through every aspect of our children’s lives. Throughout the month of May in Music class, we have focused on celebrating and appreciating its universal beauty and value.
For our young learners in Casa, rhythmic movement is a natural and resonant way to actively and physically engage in Music. We have particularly enjoyed practising walking carefully on a tightrope while listening to a steady beat, using both body and mind to keep our balance.
The shared appreciation of Music has also played a central role in our classes this month. In Casa, the children have enjoyed sharing songs with one another, with children performing with bravura in front of their classmates. Many of them shared songs that were familiar and/or funny, and it is always wonderful to observe the children respond so positively to their peers as they perform.
In Lower Elementary, we have likewise focused on appreciating Music, with the children sharing original songs and performances with their classmates. These opportunities for creative expression are especially important for the imaginative Elementary child, and we have had some innovative interpretations of songs such as “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” as well as the sharing of original songs with instrumental accompaniment! We have also reached back into history and learned to respond to and appreciate the work of classical composers such as Franz Joseph Haydn, by doing associative drawing as we listened to his music.
Interactive, collaborative activities such as drum circles are particularly enjoyed by the budding young musicians in Upper Elementary. This month, we have really enjoyed playing “Call and Response” games with the Cuban conga drums. In the process of doing so, the students actively explored various tones to draw out the best sound from these rhythmic instruments.
It has been wonderful to explore the richness of Music in so many ways throughout the month of May, and all of the children are now excited to focus their energies on rehearsing for our end-of-year concert in June!
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- Singing “Baby Shark” for our friends.
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- A child sings to an enrapt audience!
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- Concentrating on walking to a steady beat.
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- Singing an original song with a tambourine.
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- The Grade 5s with the Cuban congas!
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- Sharing an inventive adaptation of “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.”
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- Our artful responses to Haydn’s music.
