The first session is an introduction to different types of instruments including strings, horns woodwinds and percussion.  A video and audio presentation is used to show what the instruments look like and what they sound like.  We also talk about how the instruments are made and how they’re played. 

 

 

The second session focuses on the basics of music notation and “musical counting” (coupled with a grade-appropriate math connection), the basics of rhythm, and an introduction to dynamics and tempo.

 

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In the third session, many types of percussion instruments are provided for the students to play.  This session starts with a demonstration of each type of percussion instrument followed by a segment in which all of the students are playing along to an audio track. 

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The fourth session is an introduction to different genres of music including Classical, Jazz, Dixieland, Country, Blues, Rock & Roll, Bluegrass, Showtunes, Disco and Rap.   Both audio and video is used to highlight the differences and interesting aspects of each type of music. 

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In the fifth session, there is an introduction to music from around the world with a visit to nine countries using a video and audio file to show where each country is located relative to San Diego, along with pictures of local culture while the music is playing. 

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The last session is focused on how music makes you feel which includes audio clips of music invoking a variety of moods and a segment showing how music enhances video in movies.  The final program component is the “freeze dance”.  In this segment, there are a dozen audio clips of about 30 seconds each with 3 seconds of quiet time in between.

 

Many different types of music are included from rock to Irish jig to ballet to square dancing (also includes YMCA and the Chicken Dance) and the students dance to each segment in whatever way the music makes them feel, then freeze during the quiet time in between waiting for the next song to start.  It is essentially an interpretive dance game that has been very popular with all of the classes to date.