Arts

Wonder of Walker

Music Theory

AP Music Theory

AP Music Theory is offered to those students who want to learn and understand the basic language and grammar of music including note reading, sight singing, music notation, harmonic analysis and part writing. By incorporating The National Standards of Teaching Music, the student will gain a thorough understanding of music composition and fundamental theory. Additionally, the student will practice and master ear-traing skills and recognize the development of music from a cultural and historical perspective. Assignments will vary from both performance-based and analytically-based types. The ultimate goal of the course is to prepare the student to pass the AP Music Theory Exam at the conclusion of the course.

Middle School General Music

This is an exciting year for the Walker Middle School Music program due to slight changes in the curriculum. We now offer General Music for both 6th and 7th grade students. The 6th grade General Music classroom consists of keyboard instruction, music theory, music history, and chimes. The 7th grade General Music class dives further into keyboard, singing, theory, history, and begins hand bells. Since each student will be at different levels due to prior musical experience, students will work at their given level. They learn how to sight-read in piano and chimes/hand bells, and sight-sing melody lines. Students will also learn about important composers that have shaped music history and become familiar with a few of their pieces. Each grade will have at least two in-class performances for students, parents, and faculty in room 308 at the end of the quarter. These performances will include pieces with keyboard duets, chimes/hand bells, and choral.

Lower School General Music

Musical instruction is an integral part of a child’s education. It develops higher-order thinking skills, collaborative teamwork, self-discipline, and an aesthetic sense of culture. The elements of music studied include rhythm, melody, harmony, dynamics, form, tempo, meter, and timbre. The music program spirals from pre-K through 5th grade. It utilizes various strategies to create a well-rounded curriculum that includes solfegé with Kodály hand signs for singing and Orff-Schulwerk methodology for instrument instruction. Students in the PS begin their musical reading instruction using the Laurie Zentz Heart Chart. Students in LS refine their music reading skills by learning to play the soprano recorder. They use higher-order thinking skills by composing their own music for the soprano recorder, and they also construct timelines placing famous composers within the historical context of an era. Technology is also highly intergraded into the LS curriculum with the use of the Promethean Activboard and other music software. Today’s music student needs technological skills to thrive in an ever-changing society.

Pre-school General Music

Musical instruction is an integral part of a child’s education. It develops higher-order thinking skills, collaborative teamwork, self-discipline, and an aesthetic sense of culture. The elements of music studied include rhythm, melody, harmony, dynamics, form, tempo, meter, and timbre. The music program spirals from pre-K through 5th grade. It utilizes various strategies to create a well-rounded curriculum that includes solfegé with Kodály hand signs for singing and Orff-Schulwerk methodology for instrument instruction. Students in the PS begin their musical reading instruction using the Laurie Zentz Heart Chart.