Music
St. Mary Music Program gives every student in K-8 the opportunity to develop a love and appreciation for many types of music, and equips them with basic music skills to enhance further music study. Students in grades K-3 attend music once a week for 50 minutes throughout the year. Middle School students (grades 4 through 6) receive music instruction four times a week, 50 minutes per day, for one quarter of the year, while junior high (7th and 8th grade) students attend a 50 minute class daily for six weeks.
In addition, chorus is offered for Grades 3-5. Students in chorus sing a prepared selection once a month at the all-school mass, present a Christmas Pageant, and perform at the Spring Talent Show. Plans to establish a chorus for middle school students are underway.
St. Mary’s music instruction meets the National Music Standards, the State of Georgia Performance Standards, and follows the Music Curriculum of the Diocese of Savannah.
The goal of this program is to equip students with basic skills and understanding necessary to encourage a lifelong enjoyment and appreciation of music.
Younger students, K-3, enjoy musical experiences involving movement, singing, and playing instruments. They are taught to read traditional notation and solfege. In addition to learning to read music, they are given opportunities to improvise and create music of their own.
Students in grades 4, 5, and 6 hone their music reading skills by singing and learning to play the soprano recorder. Currently, St. Mary uses the Recorder Karate program – a highly motivational approach. In addition, students in these grades listen to and learn about Western music from Medieval to Modern times.
Seventh grade continues recorder playing—beyond Recorder Karate, and learns about music of other cultures and about a variety of musical instruments. Eighth grade students study the basic elements of music – texture, melody, harmony, rhythm, form, and tone -- learning to describe music of a wide variety of genres using specific musical terminology. They also explore several theories concerning music’s effect on learning, emotion, and behavior.
Graduates of St. Mary’s music program are prepared to become involved in high school band, chorus, or music appreciation classes.