The Why and How of Music Instruction
Return to Mrs. Koenig's Home Page
Music-making at Holy Family is a
"hands-on" process. Though notational and theory
skills are necessary for an accomplished musician,
it is essential that young students
experience music by singing, moving, and performing.
Our Orff-based music program
(Carl Orff - German musician and educator of
the twentieth century) follows the learning
sequence of language development:
- learning to speak through imitation
(experience)
- learning to "read" the symbols
for speech (experience + symbols = notation)
- learning to write and verbally
communicate (composition and performance)
Orff's starting
point is rhythm. It is not taught mathematically (subdividing the
whole note) but,
rather, is taught through speech patterns (proverbs, sayings, poems, words,
rhymes). Speech patterns make it possible for children to grasp every
type of meter without difficulty.
These are then translated to body rhythms and then to instrumental
accompaniments.
Melodic development grows from the child's use of singsong chants,
nursery songs, folk songs
and play-party songs. Children recite, clap, stamp and sing: they
learn to reproduce their rhythmical findings
on instruments specially suited for the purpose.
They always work in groups. From the
outset, they experience the contrast of solo/chorus,
of melody/accompaniment.
The foundation for our children's
musical experience is found in the wealth of American
folk songs, play-party games, street chants, nursery
rhymes, as well as contemporary
musical pieces. We use MUSIC FOR CHILDREN
(American and English/Canadian) and
McMillan's SHARE THE MUSIC as our resources
for instruction. Over the years, we
have acquired a large instrumentarium for the students' use
- bass xylophones (2), bass
metallophone (1), alto xylophones (4),
alto metallophones (2), soprano xylophones (3),
soprano metallophone (1), soprano and alto glockenspiels
(10) and a complete set of bass
bars. (You hear them at the Christmas Concert and at Living Stations!).
There are many assorted
drums, bells, scrapers an shakers. All of our music-making
through singing,
playing instruments and moving lays a firm foundation for understanding
the basic concepts of melody, rhythm, form, timbre,
and dynamics/tempo.
The second prong of our
musical instructional program is that of learning the music
and symbols of liturgical worship. The
student body is exposed to a variety of worship
music styles and accompaniment possibilities.
The elementary students have weekly
"liturgical sing" rehearsals where new music
is learned, more familiar music is reviewed,
and various worship topics discussed and/or
explored. Students are encouraged to add
their instrumental talents to worship performances.
In addition, there are three choirs
which enhance our Masses and other prayer services.
These choirs also prepare students
to take leadership roles in the music ministry
of the Church.
"Of their nature, the arts are directed toward
expressing in some way the infinite beauty of
God in works made by human hands." Constitution
on the Sacred Liturgy
Page last updated on September 11, 2009
