Discovering Music for Grades 2-5
A Mini-Course for You and Your Child
Now in the Circle of Scholars
Children sing before they speak.
They dance before they walk.
Recorded Sessions Taught by Dr. Carol Reynolds
Music flows naturally from children.
The marvelous inborn capacity of a child to love and express music cries out to be developed consciously, including exposure to more music, discovery of how compositions are made, inquiry into the ways instruments and voices are used, and experience in relating music both to historical events and to all aspects of our human experience.
Where do our instruments come from? How old are they? How many kinds are there (really only 5) and are they the same around the world? What makes instruments sound?
Where do we get the idea of our soprano/alto/tenor/bass voices? Are there other voice types? How (and why) do composers use voices? Does this change over time?
What is the difference between a melody and a theme? What is a motive? How important is melody? What makes a beautiful melody? A memorable melody? Are melodies hard to create? Has our idea of melody stayed the same throughout history?
Class members enjoy guided listening selections that can be followed up afterwards.
Make a Listening Journal to compare performances of a work by different players and singers. Such comparative listening is a terrific way to gain a deeper understanding of music.
Biography of composers is not our main focus, but some facets of a composer’s (or performer’s’) biography can be useful and interesting for us.
Music history is a great way to develop a child’s general sense of history. We will take several basic musical principles and develop them across time.
Downloadable Folder for Terms, Concepts, Pieces
All terms and ideas are listed and defined for each class, and available to the student for downloading. Musical materials have links provided.
Materials
No additional materials are necessary, as everything is provided through downloads and links.
Age Recommendation
Age recommendation: 2nd graders through 5th graders, although younger students (and older ones, including tutors and parents) may find the sessions equally of interest!
Now in the Circle of Scholars
Your membership in the Circle of Scholars gives you access to all of our online courses for $15/mo. Cancel any time. No obligation.
