It has been great to have students back in the music room and making music together. Each class in the school attends a one-hour music lesson during the week. My big focus for the year so far is getting all the students to remember and learn the correct names for instruments in the music room. Do you know what a kokoriko, guiro or djembe is? Why don’t you ask your students!

The R/1 students sing a greeting song when they start each music lesson. Their lessons are always practical with singing, movement and instrument playing. The Reception students have enjoyed playing and learning the names of some of the instruments in the music room. The Year 1 students have enjoyed composing rhythms and playing their rhythms on instruments. Students have been acting out and playing along to some classical music pieces.

Students across the year 2/3/4 levels have been learning a different speech rhyme. They have explored speaking, using body percussion and playing the rhythm of the speech rhyme on non-melodic percussion instruments. Later in the term, students will be improvising using the xylophones and working in groups to come up with performances.

With the year 5/6 students this term, their instrument is simply a piece of A4 paper. They have learnt a Paper Song and are developing their skills at improvisation.

The Unley choir comprises of students in Year 5/6. Students learn a set repertoire of songs ready for a concert in the Festival Theatre in Term 3. The choir is not compulsory and students do not have to audition. I am very excited that this year there are 42 students giving choir a go. The choir rehearses each Friday from 12-1pm with myself and accompanist Felicity Williams. Choir is a lot of fun and there are lots of skills that students will acquire during the year.

Susan Marshall

Music Teacher