Organizations » Music
Music
General Music: Grades Preschool, Pre-K, K-3
RCS Music Notes from Mrs. O’Neil
BAND – Grades 4-12
Mrs. O’Neil is very happy to be teaching the band students in grades 4-12 at RCS! Listed below are some things band students and parents may wish to know.
Rome Catholic Jr/Sr Band (grades 7-12): Jr/Sr Band will meet during the school day according to the academic class schedule. Course expectations, the concert schedule and a lesson schedule will be distributed to band students within the first week of school. Students will receive small group lessons once per week for a 40-minute period during the school day. Students will come out of classes for lessons; lessons will be scheduled on a rotating basis so that students do not repeatedly miss the same class. The Jr/Sr Band will perform on concerts in November, December, March and May. These concerts are listed on the school calendar. Students will receive many reminders of these dates as the year progresses.
RCS Elementary Band (Grades 5-6): Elementary students who have already begun the study of an instrument are members of the RCS Elementary Band. Band will meet during the school day for rehearsals (time/day, TBA). Elementary Band students will also receive small group lessons one day per week for a half-hour each time, scheduled on a rotating basis throughout the day. The Elementary Band will perform on concerts in November, December, March and May. These concerts are listed on the school calendar. Students will receive many reminders of these dates as the year progresses.
RCS Beginner Band (Grades 4-6): Students who have not yet started an instrument are welcome to sign up for Beginner Band. Students have an opportunity to try out a number of band instruments, including flute, clarinet, alto saxophone, trumpet, trombone and snare drum. Those students will receive a letter and information packet within the first two weeks of school regarding the next steps in joining band. New students in grade 4 and any interested students in grades 5 and 6 will have an opportunity to talk with Mrs. O’Neil about joining band, and a chance to try out instruments as time permits, during the first few weeks of school. Small group lessons for all grade 4-6 beginners begin in the fall; a lesson schedule will be given to students. Grade 4 instrumental students will play together as a group throughout the year, and Beginner Band will perform on concerts in February and May. Older beginners (grades 5/6) will be able to perform with the Beginner Band as long as they’d like to, then “move up” to the RCS Elementary Band when they feel confident in doing so.
A NEW ENSEMBLE HAS FORMED AT RCS!! The Rome Catholic Jazz-Rock Ensemble (J-RE) is open to any current member of the 7-12 Jr/Sr Band. All instruments are welcome. J-RE will be performing on concerts in November, December and April. New members are welcome and no previous jazz experience is necessary. The group is currently re-arranging its rehearsal schedule to accommodate as many players as possible during the busy sports season. Interested students should contact me, Mrs. O’Neil, directly for more info.
ATTENTION NON-BAND STUDENTS IN GRADES 7-12 – it’s not too late to start the study of a musical instrument. I’m happy to talk with any student interested in beginning (or going back to!) a band instrument. Arrangements for instruments and lessons will be made on a case-by-case basis for students in these grades, so please contact me for more info if you have an interest.
ALL STUDENTS AND PARENTS - Please note that students CAN participate in both band AND chorus at RCS.
THE NATIONAL STANDARDS for MUSIC EDUCATION
1. Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
2. Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
3. Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments.
4. Composing, and arranging music within specific guidelines.
5. Reading and notating music.
6. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
7. Evaluating music and music performance.
8. Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts.
9. Understanding music in relation to history and culture.
NEW YORK STATE ARTS STANDARDS
Standard 1:
Creating, Performing and Participating in the Arts ~ Students will actively engage in the processes that constitute creation and performance in the arts (dance, music, theater and visual arts) and participate in various roles in the arts.
Standard 2:
Knowing and Using Arts Materials and Resources ~ Students will be knowledgeable about and make use of the materials and resources available for participation in the arts in various roles.
Standard 3:
Respond To and Analyzing Works of Art
Students will respond critically to a variety of works on the arts, connecting the individual work to other works and to other aspects of human endeavor and thought.
Standard 4:
Understanding the Cultural Dimensions and Contributions of the Arts ~
The student will develop an understanding of the personal and cultural forces that shape artistic communication and how the arts in turn shape the diverse cultures of past and present society.
Younger elementary students would have fun with www.Bsokids.com – website of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, special children’s section. Try the online composition games or print a cool musical page to color!
Also, check out www.Dsokids.com– website of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, kids’ section. The “Music Room” has information on composers, instruments, the symphony, and lots more, plus pages to color and fun games to try.
Older elementary students might like to visit www.marineband.usmc.mil , the website of the “President’s Own” US Marine Band. Click on Kids’ Corner to take a virtual tour of the White House, with John Philip Sousa as your tour guide! You’ll learn a bunch of interesting facts and hear plenty of neat music.
Middle school-aged students (or anyone!) interested in jazz would enjoy the website www.pbskids.org/jazz. It contains lots of info about the music, composers, bands and history of the great American musical style, jazz.