4th Grade Music: 2nd quarter
The 4th Graders are the stars of the Christmas Pageant! (Well, after Jesus, of course!) The 4th Graders serve as readers, acolytes, flag bearers, bell ringers, tone chime players and more! Everybody has a part to play. Mary, Joseph, the angel Gabriel and the 3 Kings all play a role and sing solos that help tell the story of the birth of Jesus. It is their final year in the Pageant and it is always a special experience. They will talk about “my part” in the Pageant for years to come. After Christmas, we will set our sights on our yearly field trip to see the NC Symphony perform at Meymandi Hall. We will study the families of the orchestra, and we will study the specific pieces that will be played and their composers. The music will be an opportunity to explore the elements of music: rhythm, pitch, form, dynamics, tempo, timbre, and texture.
Recorder Karate program begins
Early in the 4th grade school year, you may hear sounds coming from your 4th grader that you have never heard before! You may notice a cream- colored instrument that seems to accompany them everywhere they go. Don’t worry, though, they are just practicing “Recorder Karate,” our 4th grade recorder program that seems to captivate students year after year. Students earn colored “belts” that they can attach to their recorder and display with pride. Songs progress from easy to more challenging, and each success is celebrated with a corresponding belt. Along the way, students are learning about music notation, recorder fingerings, listening skills, ensemble playing, and more. For many, Recorder Karate is a stepping stone to joining the STS Band and a lifetime of music enjoyment! (Not surprisingly, our first Recorder Karate Black Belts are also members of the STS Band program.)