The characteristics of a good musician can be summarized as follows: A well-trained ear, A well-trained intelligence, A well-trained heart, A well-trained hand. -Zoltan Kodály
Quogue Elementary School strives to create children that will be lifelong music participants. Lessons are formed around the notion that each person should be “Tuneful, Beatful, and Artful.” A tuneful person will be able to sing a lullaby to their child, and sing at community and ceremonial functions. A beatful person will be able to dance on the beat, clap their hands in time with others, and march in step in a parade. An artful person will seek meaningful musical experiences through participation and listening.
Primary grades will strengthen their tonal and rhythmic skills through simple songs, circle games, simple beat accompaniments, expressive movements and folk dances. Students will echo, decode, and create music patterns using solfege and rhythm syllables. Students must be able to hear the music in their heads before we begin literacy. We should read music in the same way that an educated adult will read a book: in silence, but imagining the sound.-Kodaly After reading tonal and rhythmic pattern students will learn the traditional staff and note names.
4th-6th Grade classroom music studies include choral study, dance, guitar, classroom instruments, music technology, music history, theory and literacy. Students will learn to be literate in the treble and bass clef. Students should be fluent in the tonal and rhythmic sequence by the conclusion of their elementary music study. (See tonal and rhythmic sequence). Our 6th graders will all borrow a guitar for the year, and learn basic note picking and chords.
All students are highly encouraged to participate in our instrumental program. Learning an instrument and performing in band can foster a great sense of community and accomplishment. We deeply value every musician in our band! Lessons occur before and after school, and our band rehearses every Tuesday morning. Dedicated singers should join our Chamber Choir that meets every Thursday morning.