Music

Music is an integral part of the human experience. Therefore, we believe our studies in music are as important as those in the core academic subjects. Music enhances our liturgies and thus can bring the Holy Child community together in a spiritual way. It is the goal of the choral-based music program at Holy Child to aid in the well-balanced social and artistic development of each student and to produce literate musicians. All students in the Lower and Middle Schools take music twice a week throughout the school year. All Lower School students perform in an annual musical show. In third grade, students learn to play the recorder. Every student in the Middle School is required to participate in chorus and the annual Middle School show and to learn to play English handbells.

The goal of producing musically literate young people demands that our program include the development of basic musical skills. The method/philosophy utilized is the Kodály method, which is based upon sound before symbol and uses solfege, or singing the notes of the scale with corresponding syllable names, i.e., do, re, mi, fa, sol, etc., and rhythmic syllables to instruct students. A spiraling curriculum for solfege and rhythmic concepts directly correlates to the American folk song repertoire the students sing in class. The ability to read music is key to performing in the handbell choir and doing solfege. As students become more fluent in the language of music they can perform increasingly complex pieces, singing in canon, in harmony, and in two or three parts.

Listening is the core of any music curriculum. Students must listen to the teacher, to themselves, and to each other as they work to perform a piece of music, creating an intricate weaving of bells or voices. Ear training develops a child’s ability to match pitches and sing along with the group and later to sing his or her own part confidently. Music inspires children to move; thus rhythm and movement are an integral part of this program. Participation in the handbell choir in grades 6 through 8 rounds out the musical experience at Holy Child by giving each student the opportunity to play in an ensemble. In addition, students are offered the opportunity to study piano or violin privately on campus or to take group lessons on a band instrument. Private lessons on flute and clarinet are offered on campus. The piano teacher schedules her lessons with students throughout the week. The band teacher is on campus once each week to teach small groups and rehearse the band.

The administrator of the Middle School works with the music teacher to assess and modify the music program. The teacher, who is a trained music teacher as well as a vocal musician, has developed a program that is structured for appropriate growth for young singers and musicians.