Arts and Media

Band

The Cora Kelly Band Program is directed by Laura Bridges and is open to all students in grades 4 and 5.

Students are recruited and introduced to all available instruments during the second half of their 3rd-grade year.

Instruments

For any student in grades 4 and 5, we offer instruments, such as:

• flute

• clarinet

• alto saxophone

• trumpet

• trombone

• baritone

After choosing their top three favorite instruments, students are assigned one of their choices.

Practice

Classes start during the first week of school, and are held weekly. Additional support on their instrument is provided after school, if needed.

Performances

Students participate in two major public performances: a Winter and Spring Concert, typically held in December and June. Students may also participate in a plethora of outside performances, such as, All-City Band, Solo and Ensemble Festival, and the Children’s Concert Series with the NOVA Alexandria Band.

Music

Grades K-2:  General Music

In General Music, students learn about the elements of music through movement, listening, viewing and discussion. They explore the use of the voice (whisper, singing, shouting and talking), high and low, loud and soft; long and short; and the orchestra and their applications to creating music using Kodaly Orff & Dalcroze Eurythmics. To connect to history, quarterly listening lessons are designed to connect past and present human experiences.

Grade 3: Pre-Band

Virtual and traditional personal learning environments using Google Classroom, Google Drive and Nearpod allow students to begin exploration of the Cohort learning model for instrumental study within the General Music Class (recorder/orchestra). Students learn about the elements of music through movement, listening, viewing, playing and discussion.using the elements of music. Through application in music performance, through movement, listening, viewing, singing, playing and discussion using Google Classroom and Chromebook technology, students in grade 3 study soprano recorder and violin in preparation for the grade 4 cohort. As part of this exploration of music, the students have been studying the treble staff, note values and recorder repertoire in preparation for Winter Concert.

Grade 4: Pre-Band

Virtual and traditional personal learning environments using Google Classroom, Google Drive and Nearpod allow students to continue to explore the Cohort learning model for instrumental study (band/orchestra). Students learn about the elements of music in music performance, through movement, listening, viewing, singing, playing and discussion using Google Classroom and Chromebook technology. All students in grade 4 study band and violin in preparation for the grade 4 cohort. As part of this exploration of music, the students have been studying the treble staff, note values and recorder repertoire in preparation for Winter Concert.