PRESCHOOL
Tunes for Tots for 3 and 4 year-old preschoolers
For our youngest audience, we bring a program called “Tunes for Tots.” The program begins with FSO’s Miss Jody performing a live concert just for the students, using a variety of instruments. The principles of audience conduct are taught to the students and put into practice right away.
After the concert is finished, the students are introduced to a book called This Jazz Man by Karen Ehrhardt. During the reading of this book the youngsters get to perform a series of hand motions to go along with the story. This book introduces kids to the idea of jazz music at the most basic level. The story concludes with the students performing their own jazz scat rhythm!
Finally, the students are given the opportunity to identify sounds they hear outside and in the world around them (such as vehicle, animal, and nature sounds). Once we have recognized a number of sounds , students get to see, hear, and even play various instruments that mimic the sounds previously discussed.
This program introduces preschoolers to music education, and fosters a desire to learn more about music as they grow.
KINDERGARTEN
Little Music Literature for beginning readers
In this program, we introduce Kindergarteners to two books with different musical messages, helping to promote an appreciation and understanding of reading as well as music.
Our first selection, Clickety Clack by Rob and Amy Spence, uses rhythmic prose to convey the sound of a train riding on the rails with a steady pulse of rising excitement. Our FSO musician Miss Jody adds percussion enhancements as this story is read, showing students the possibility of finding music in the rhythm of words.
In our second selection, Zin, Zin, Zin, a Violin by Lloyd Moss, students are called upon to dance as we create our various size ensembles, in the end incorporating the whole class in an energetic dance party!
Finally, Miss Jody gives the students a mini concert to teach them how to be an audience member. This is followed by the musician and the students performing a musical story together, with the students each playing an instrument. As the students exit the classroom, they get to try out an entire table full of world instruments!
FIRST GRADE
Symphony on the Shelf for first grade students
For our first grade students, we present the program “Symphony on the Shelf.” FSO’s Miss Jody returns to the classrooms of each school bringing the book Berlioz the Bear by Jan Brett.
This remarkable literary work takes young listeners on a musical journey to meet a number of memorable characters that interact over the course of an adventure that keeps kids on the edge of their seat. It introduces students to the process of a musician preparing for a performance as well as the venue making preparations for the event. This piece of literature gives students an excitement for story-telling as well as music-making.
At the conclusion of the story, our musician gives a mini concert and talks about how to be an audience member. The students get to experience the sounds of many different musical instruments live. In addition, students are given the opportunity to try a variety of world instruments for themselves!
SECOND GRADE
Science of the Symphony for second grade students
Our “Science of the Symphony” program has had great success with second grade classes. This program reinforces the concept of music’s ability to enhance learning in core subjects such as science.
In this program, we demonstrate the construction and sound production of musical instruments. Students learn how to create string instruments out of a box and rubber bands, create various pitches from bottles with different amounts of water in them, and create a variety of percussive instruments from common household items.
FSO musician Miss Jody also performs science experiments showing the effects of musical vibration on real objects. The students, in effect, have a live demonstration of the science behind vibration, creating sound, how pitch changes based on size, material and tension, and the concept of pitch variation due to physical dimensions.
THIRD GRADE
Drumming with Dylan for third grade students
Our Third Grade music program called “Drumming with Dylan” involves bringing an accomplished percussionist, Dylan Moffitt, to visit classes to introduce the children to the power of rhythm in learning.
Dylan, joined by FSO’s Miss Jody, brings a variety of percussion instruments for the students’ use and students participate in hands-on rhythm building exercises.
Students have the unique opportunity to actually create the music themselves with the leadership skills of a professional percussionist. In addition, the students are introduced to the concept of using rhythm and repetition to study all other subjects that they are learning. This study technique engages the opposite side of the brain and therefore gives students a valuable study tool for all areas of learning for the rest of their years in education. This technique can be applied across the curriculum and can help test scores for years to come!
FOURTH GRADE
We have a brand new education engagement program being designed specifically for fourth grade students.
Stay tuned for more information!
GRADES 5 THROUGH 12
Muscles for Musicians for fifth through twelfth grade students
With schools struggling to keep enough funding for the arts, ensemble programs suffer from extremely high teacher/student ratios. The teachers simply do not have enough opportunities for essential one-on-one service for beginning musicians. For students enrolled in their school ensembles in grades 5 through 12, we continue our “Muscles for Musicians” program.
FSO musicians attend the regularly scheduled band or orchestra class during the school day and work individually with student musicians to further their ability and understanding on their own instrument, helping to prepare them for upcoming competitions and performances. Students with all levels of ability on their instruments benefit from this program, whether they are behind in their abilities and need assistance getting caught up or they are in need of guidance for advanced techniques of performing on their instrument. Sections of musicians will also have the opportunity to be coached as a group, learning how to work in small groups for a common goal, as well as serving as a part of a larger group for the entire ensemble.
The more success students have in performing music, the more they will experience the benefits music has to offer. This program has received glowing reviews and we are regularly contacted by each of the participating band directors from the previous year, anxious for this service to return.