• When do children begin Music in school?

    Kindergarten! Beginning in Kindergarten, NA children attend weekly music classes This is where building a musical foundation begins.
    In first through fifth grade, they may also have an extra music class every 3 weeks (Monday Integrated Arts)
     
    When can my child begin to study an instrument?
    In third grade students may opt to play a string instrument. Our String teachers are Mrs. Kim Watton and Mrs. Anne Funk
    In fourth grade students may opt to play a band instrument. Our Band teacher is Mr. Klicker.
     
    What does my child need to wear to music class?
    All children should dress in comfortable clothes and shoes – we do a lot of movement!
    We do not use chairs in music class. We sit on the floor and use as much space as possible for movement.
    Because of this, girls may be more comfortable in pants, shorts or skorts.
     
    What does my child do in Music Class?
    Many things! They will sing, play barred instruments and other percussion instruments, play ear training games to develop melodic and rhythmic fluency, learn folk dances, play recorder (3rd, 4th and 5th), do skill drills, move to show beat, rhythmic layers, style and form.

     

    What do the children need to bring to music class?

    4th and 5th graders at Hosack keep a recorder in Music Class. Students who do not own a recorder may borrow one until the end of the school year. Recorders are kept in a box in the Music Room along with a music folder for each student. Students are welcome to take their folder and recorder home to practice between classes, but are responsible for bringing them back to the next class.
     
     

    When do  HES third graders  begin to play the recorder?

    Sometime before winter break, I will contact third grade parents about ordering recorders. The cost is  $6.50. There is no requirement to purchase one. Your child may borrow one until the end of the school year. Once we start using them in class, the students will be expected to bring their recorder to each music class.
     
     

    How do I buy a recorder?

    I do one bulk order a year – right before Winter Break. This is the cheapest time to purchase a recorder. If you order on your own, you will pay higher shipping costs. Any 3rd, 4th or 5th grader that wants their own recorder should get the order form to me after Winter Break. Cost is $6.50.

     

    I have extra recorders that my 3rd, 4th or 5th grader doesn't need. Can I donate it?

    Yes, please! Send it to me and I will sanitize it. It can be "recycled" and used for another child who will need it!

     

    How are the children assessed in music class?

    Please see Grading for Special Areas on this website

     

    How does Hosack Choir work? What is Tiger Chorale?

    See Hosack Choir & Tiger Chorale on this website

     

    How can I contact Mrs. Kegel?

    Whatever works best for you! Please feel free to send a note or e-mail. I welcome communication!

     

    How do you teach the kids?

    I use a blend of methodologies/approaches with the children.

    Kodaly Method: solfege (do, re, mi…) with hand signs/sight singing/prepare a concept, present it and practice it.

    Gordon Method: consistent rhythmic syllables, tonal and meter awareness, root melodies (or bass lines)

    Dalcroze Eurythmics: understanding music through movement

    Orff-Schulwerk: That’s a biggie! See below!

     

    What is Orff-Schulwerk?

    It is an approach to teaching music to children developed by composer Carl Orff and his co-worker Gunild Keetman. Orff’s intent was for music making to be accessible and captivating to children.

    Below are the elements of Orff-Schulwerk (or “schoolwork”)

    Movement:

    Movement is an enormous chunk of the Orff approach. He did not view it as separate from the music, but completely integral. Students will develop a movement vocabulary of locomotor and non-locomotor movements. They will explore moving alone, with partners, and as a group. We also learn folk dances from around the world.

    Speech: The natural rhythm of our “mother tongue” is an impetus for rhythm. A simple phrase, proverb or quote can be turned into a rhythmic or melodic piece by the children. Simple speech patterns can also be transferred easily to an instrument.

    Singing: The voice is the child’s primary instrument and their most immediate form of expression!

    Instrument Playing:

    Our “instrumentarium” is made up of:

    Pitched instruments:

    Orff modified barred instruments like the xylophone, metallophone, and glockenspiel so that the instruments could be more easily played by children. He also made the bars removable.

    Recorders are another pitched instrument used in Orff-Schulwerk and, being in the woodwind family, provide a great contrast to the percussion.

    Unpitched instruments: These include woods, metals, skins (many drum varieties), scrapers and shakers.

    Improvisation: In an Orff classroom, there are teacher-directed activities, but there is also a great deal of exploratory time in which children are problem solvers in small groups or alone. They are given small tasks in one of the elemental areas. They work on the problem-develop solutions- share it with others and refine their work.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     
Last Modified on August 26, 2019