 Music
Program
Music Classes
Each grade at Assumption School receives a minimum
of two, thirty minute classes of music instruction each week. The
students learn to sing, dance, and play the soprano recorder as
well as pitched and non-pitched percussion instruments. For the
most part, music instruction follows the Orff Approach to Music
Education.
What is Orff?
Carl Orff (1895-1982) is probably best known as the
composer of such works as Carmina Burana and Catulli Carmina, but
it is his work with "Music for Children" which has inspired
a global movement in music education.
The Orff approach to Music Education is holistic, experiential
and process oriented. It is for all children, not just the most
musically or intellectually gifted. It is a structured, sequential
development of knowledge and skills which encourages joyful participation,
creativity, and personal musical growth from all participants.
Children learn through doing, exploring and improvising. They are
active participants in an integrated, guided process, one which
allows for differing musical abilities. In the Orff approach, no
child is neglected.
The Orff philosophy combines the elements of speech, rhythm, movement,
dance, and song. And at the heart of all this is improvisation—the
instinct children have to create their own melodies, to explore their
imaginations.
Fine Arts Elective Program
The intermediate grades have the opportunity
to participate in a Fine Arts Elective program. On Friday afternoons
from 2:30 until 3:00, students from the intermediate grades may choose
to participate in an optional music class. In the first and second
terms, “Orff
Club” is offered as the music class. The students have the
opportunity to work with students from other grades to learn and
perform a challenging instrumental Orff arrangement. In the third
term, “Recorder Club” offers the opportunity to work
together on recorder ensemble work.
Choirs
Assumption School offers an optional choir program for both
intermediate and primary students. The Intermediate Choir involves
an early morning choir practice as well as one in-school practice
each week. Our Primary Choir practices once a week during school
time. Students not in Choir remain with classroom teachers, regrouped
with students from other grades and are involved in Fine Arts Activities.
The
choirs perform for local seniors at Christmas time and in the spring.
Every other year the Intermediate Choir participates in our Catholic
Schools’ Chancellor Music Festival and the Primary
Choir participates in “Sharing Our Songs”, an informal
afternoon of music sharing with a neighboring school’s choir.
The
Liturgy Choir – a group of 25 students selected from the
Intermediate choir - leads the singing for the Parish Community
several times during the year and also for the First Communion, Confirmation,
and Grade 7 Farewell Masses.
Concerts and Performances
The students are given many
opportunities to perform for each other and for their families and
friends. One year, we prepare a Christmas Concert involving the whole
school and then a Spring Talent Show which highlights the talents
of our students from Grades 3 to 7. The following year we prepare
a non-musical Christmas event and then a Spring musical and/or drama
production the next. Our productions involve all of our students
and everyone - students, all staff, and parents - works together
enthusiastically to ensure their success. Assumption School is very
proud of our accomplishments in musical theatre.
Celebrating the Fine Arts Program
This program is designed to take
advantage of the opportunity we have as a school to provide arts
experiences for our children that are designed especially for them
and at a greatly reduced cost. Every year, we charge a set Fine Arts
Fee and then use the money to book excellent artists and musicians
to perform at our school. This allows us to offer the students the
opportunities to experience music from a variety of cultural and
historical contexts.
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