• About BMS Music!

     

    "School music programs should be fostering both life-wide and lifelong musicing by enabling students to be involved in performing and enjoying a wide range of musical offerings within their communities throughout their lives."
    - Patrick Jones, "Returning Music Education to the Mainstream: Reconnecting with the Community."
    Visions of Research in Music Education 7.
     
    Here’s an overview of what happens in Mrs. Lapinski’s
    music classes*:
     

    Chorus:

    (Meets for the entire year)

    Chorus meets twice a cycle for one period.  Each grade rehearses alone but performs together in the concert.  In rehearsal, we practice improving singing techniques as well as musicality.  Most importantly, we try to appreciate the joy of singing. Rehearsals begin with a vocal warm-up, followed by sight-reading exercises, and finally rehearsal of concert selections.

     

    6th Grade Music Class:

    (Meets for 1 trimester) 

    In 6th grade, students strengthen their music reading abilities, as well as their abilities to listen and discriminate.  The class will learn how to work as an ensemble by performing on tone chimes. We will also explore the music of other cultures through drumming, listening, and composing.  The marking period will culminate with a unit devoted to basic piano skills.
     

    7th Grade Music Class:

    (Meets for one trimester)

    In the 7th grade curriculum, creation is the focus. Throughout the marking period, we will use classroom instruments, notation software, and students' 6th grade piano skills to create original music. We will also be listening to and analyzing the compositions of others as inspiration for our own composing. In addition, students will learn some simple songs in the ukulele.
     
    7th Grade will also explore the various changes that have occurred throughout the history of the music industry - particularly the effect the internet has had on how people create, consume, and finance music today.
     

    8th Grade Music Class:

    (Meets for one trimester)

    The 8th-grade curriculum includes a unit on pianos, a unit on guitars, and a music appreciation unit.
    We will discuss how the brain processes music, the elements of music, and the history of Western music.
    The trimester will culminate in an independent study unit, allowing students to choose their area of musical learning.