We have a blast in music class! Every child at Santo Niño steps into the role of musician. We experience music through singing, playing, listening, creating, and movement. We prepare to sing songs for the weekly liturgy in English, Spanish, Latin, and other languages. Students learn to read and write music notation, as well as skills like improvisation and musical expression. In any grade level, students explore their dramatic creativity and learn about music with use of anything from finger puppets to poetry.

In class we allow recorded music to move us, children’s literature to guide us, and our own experiences to inspire us. Students create rhythmic patterns on a regular basis, and then perform on instruments or body percussion. Games are played to practice our musical vocabulary, music math, and listening skills, often involving big fuzzy dice and lots of laughter.

All levels perform at the Christmas Concert, International Fair, and Spring Concert. In our study for these events, we relate music to history, personal heritage, and world-wide culture.

In Pre-K and Kindergarten we enter the room singing as we find our seat around a big colorful parachute. We sing, clap, shake maracas, wiggle and giggle. Our best friend is a cute little clown puppet who dances with us and kisses our foreheads at the end of class.

In 1^st and 2^nd grade, we continue practicing our musical skills of beat competency and pitch matching. We take adventures through the jungle and under the sea, with singing and instruments to create a more musical world around us.

In 3^rd and 4^th grade, cooperative ensemble begins to grow. We study the recorder, which helps our music reading skills of rhythm and the treble staff, and prepares us for being in band someday. We learn whole melodies on xylophones and begin to make our own musical decisions.

In 5^th and 6^th grade, vocal and instrumental ensemble explodes. Composition projects include writing commercials in a musical form. Students learn patterns and songs on our marimbas inspired by the music of Zimbabwe which are played in mass.

Miss Echols teaches choir as an afterschool music ministry for 3^rd through 6^th grades. Both programs are great opportunities and ways to participate in the weekly mass.
Let’s have fun!