Embracing Singing: The Foundation of Music Education
At the heart of music education is singing, a foundational skill that can be nurtured in our schools from preschool onwards. Research consistently emphasizes the importance of singing, movement, and experiencing the joy of music, forming the groundwork for a lifelong musical connection. The songs students sing today become the melodies they play in instrumental studies in later years. Solfege and rhythm syllables learned in the elementary music classroom pave the way for instrumental proficiency. Teachers play a crucial role in encouraging students to sing through their instruments, creating a seamless transition from vocal to instrumental expression.
Building Bridges: Connecting Singing to Instrumental Proficiency
Then there are the song lists that teachers create; these song lists are critical because when there is a connection between the songs students sing and the songs they later play on instruments, we increase the likelihood of all students being successful in playing instruments such as the recorder and eventually a band instrument. Since we aim for 100% success in student singing and instrument playing, we should include songs from all ethnicities to ensure inclusivity for all students. These song lists should be crafted by a collection of music teachers in a school district, since they will be used across the grade levels.
Balancing Literacy: Complementing Singing with Literacy in Music Education
As literacy is added to the foundation of singing, it should complement, not replace, the act of singing (and playing instruments) with joy and expression. Our emphasis should be sound before sight; however, literacy is vital and develops best with a sound before sight approach, especially with younger students. With a sound before sight approach, a variety of songs from around the world are sung with joy and then literacy is added to the musicality.
Empowering Recorder Players: Integrating Singing and Playing on the Recorder
Now let’s discuss how to approach the recorder as a classroom instrument when “It’s Time to Play the Recorder!” Some teachers offer rewards and prizes to students who can decipher notation and play a song, but they provide little transition between singing and playing. A multi-step approach to playing a song on the recorder yields success with most or all students – singing and then singing with solfege, note names and rhythm syllables while fingering. As a teacher, I am delighted with the gifted students, but I want all students to play songs, rounds and harmony parts on the recorder; and I want to encourage musical rewards before prizes.
Transitioning to Band: Bridging Singing and Playing in Band
And finally, let’s tie in literacy as we transition from the joy of singing songs from around the world to the joy of playing songs in Band. We have an unwritten traditional understanding that if a student cannot read a song, they have no right to play it. With a multi-step approach to literacy, we can transition from singing to playing a song on a band instrument with the same joy! Our emphasis, supported by practice and research, is on the importance of learning a song with lyrics before playing; and the next steps include singing and fingering with solfege and then note names, followed by singing with rhythm syllables and counting. Finally, students are able to read the notation and play without syllables or note names.
Unlocking Potential: Bridging Singing, Literacy, and Instrumental Proficiency
In conclusion, by bridging singing, literacy, and instrumental proficiency, we unlock the full potential of music education for all students. Through thoughtful integration and a focus on joyful singing and playing, we cultivate not only skilled literate musicians but lifelong lovers of music.
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