Music Program at Annunciation Catholic School

Annunciation Catholic School offers music to every student, from PreK through 8th grade. Students explore music through movement, singing, listening, playing instruments, literature, and technology. It is through these mediums students can discover the many concepts of music, like structure, texture, timbre, and composition. We focus on music from around the world, allowing students to explore other cultures. Our instrumentation ranges from small manipulative instruments like shakers, tambourines, castanets, and bells to larger complex instruments like recorder, African drums, ukulele, and xylophone. 

As students get older, they get to explore a more complex and analytical side of music. We discuss the historical timeline of music: Gregorian chants to Baroque to Classical to Romantic to Modern to Country to Jazz to Contemporary. We also discuss the famous artists from each of these genres like Bach to Mozart, Hayden to Beethoven, Stravinsky to Count Basie, and Maslanka to today's biggest icons. Students at the middle school age are still discovering their musical tastes. In fact, most of their taste depends on what they hear on the radio or what their friends listen to. Our goal is to expose them to the various styles out there, something other than rap and hip-hop or pop. Students also have the opportunity to explore music through the medium of entertainment. We discuss the music industry and the various jobs available. There is also the cinematic side of music. Students will explore how music can create energy or help tell a story. 

Annunciation also offers extra-curricular for music. 

We have a beginning band and intermediate band- for those 4th- 8th grade students wanting to learn how to play a musical instrument such as: flute, clarinet, alto saxophone, trumpet, trombone, and percussion. We have a guitar and ukulele ensemble also available to our 4th-8th graders . Students develop all the skills necessary of a musician- singing, reading, writing, and listening.

Students learning these instruments also develop multi-task skills- reading the music, controlling the body, and controlling the instrument at the same time- which engages both sides of the brain. Students also learn how to work towards a common goal in a large group setting, creating a sense of community. Our ultimate goal is creating music together and sharing music with the community through performances. To prepare for these performances, students practice together twice a week before school hours and practice at home. We currently have 83 students participating in these programs. 

Annunciation also offers cross curricular activities. For example, music and art work together to develop a deeper connection between the fine arts. Our primary grades create their own musical instrument in art class and learn how to play their creation in music class. Kindergarten students make rain sticks, 1st grade make tambourines, and 2nd grade make gourd shakers. Our intermediate and middle school students explore the science behind music, and identifying the various wave forms behind different sounds. After understanding this concept, they then create their own pitched instrument. Students have created xylophones out of glass, wood, and PVC pipes. We also had students create a wash tub bass!

At Annunciation Catholic School, we strongly believe in music for every child and every child for music.