Music

The elementary music program at Burke's involves every girl, encouraging the development of her inherent musicianship and love of music. Burke's understands the vital role music plays in the growth of the whole child: its contributions to the intellectual, emotional, social and physical realms of learning. Through active "hands-on" music-making, each girl is given a wide variety of experiences in which to learn about, appreciate and prepare for a life-long involvement in the performing arts, as both performer and appreciative, knowledgeable audience.

Music is part of the fabric of everyday life at Burke's. Music often is integrated with classroom themes and subject areas. Whole school events and assemblies are times for singing and dancing, drawing the community together. Music is used to welcome the year, celebrate events, honor passages in time; spontaneous singing is often heard as you walk the school grounds.

Each Lower School class has music twice a week in the cozy and delightful Lower School Music Room. Just entering the room is a treat: seeing shelves filled with instruments from around the world, specially designed "Orff" instruments, and of course, the Burke's Chinese Lions! During any given music session there are a variety of activities-a circle dance might be followed by a singing game, which may then lead into a music reading activity at the staff board. The girls might explore a poem brought from their classroom by creating a movement piece or choosing instruments to illustrate it. Another day they may accompany a song with body percussion and then transfer the rhythm to xylophone.

The strands of activity styles and curricular standards are woven together over the course of the year. The teacher's art is in balancing and building a "spiral curriculum" that strengthens, refines and introduces new skills and understandings through the years. This "spiral curriculum" draws from a variety of music pedagogies, including the Orff and Kodaly approaches.

The Orff philosophy of music and movement education (Orff-Schulwerk) is a multi-dimensional approach using speech and poetry, movement and dance, drama and song, improvisation, and work with basic instruments. It begins with what is natural to the child: chants, clapping games, folk songs and dances. Direct experience - imitation and exploration - builds concrete skills for improvisation, which then leads to composition and notation. Through cooperative ensemble work, creative thinking and invention, unique musical experiences are shaped from the responses and abilities of the children.

The Kodaly viewpoint places singing at the foundation of musical development. Its philosophy proposes that a clear, sequential musical development in the formative years will foster lifelong skills in singing, literacy and notation, and appreciation. Kodaly believed that for a child's music education "only the best is good enough."

At Burke's, our best means that music and dance from many cultures, time periods and styles are used throughout the curriculum. Music is chosen and classes designed in alignment with the National Standards for Music. Materials used to develop musical skills also strengthen fine and gross motor skills, visual and auditory memory, and intellectual and creative understandings. Each student contributes according to her own ability in a supportive and nurturing environment where the rewards include a growing confidence in one's individual skills and the pleasure of making music with others.

Kindergarten Music

Weekly Class Music Schedule
Each kindergarten group participates in two 30-minute music sessions per week. These sessions take place in the Burke's Music Room where a wide range of percussion instruments is available for exploration. For exact days and times of your daughter's music class you may check with her kindergarten teacher or the Lower School Music Specialist.

Music in Community
In addition to the weekly classes, music is infused into many of Burke's traditions. At weekly assemblies the girls enter and leave singing. Songs are chosen to augment a topic of the assembly, to celebrate the time of year, or just for the joy and beauty of the song. The repertoire ranges in genre from the classics of the American musical, to traditional rounds, camp songs, and folk and art songs from around the world.

Performances and Sharing for Parents and Family
Performances allow students to demonstrate new skills, become more comfortable in front of an audience, and experience the joy of ensemble and performing. Your support of this aspect of your daughter's music education is vital! Mark your calendars now for the following events so you are sure to attend.

September 18, 2009      Lower School Picnic sharing (11:30 a.m. -1:00 p.m.)
December 18, 2009       Holiday Sing Along (10:15 - 11:30 a.m.)
February 8, 2010          Red Group Music Room Sharing (8:40 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.)
February 9, 2010          Yellow Group Music Room Sharing (8:40 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.)
February 10, 2010         Blue Group Music Room Sharing (8:40 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.)

Kindergarten Curriculum and Skills
Building musical readiness through discovering contrasts:
* Loud - quiet    * fast - slow     * high - low
* Steady beat - no beat - rhythm
* Accompaniment - a cappella    * whole - part (form)
* Instrumental timbres - wood, metal, skins, shakers
* Singing/speaking/calling/whispering voices; vocal inflection and expression

Conventions of group participation:
* Use of space - making lines, circles; personal space, moving in space
* Taking turns - in speaking, playing instruments, games, song leading
* Working with others - holding hands, choosing and changing partners
* Taking care of instruments - voice, body, percussion

Contact
Burke's is dedicated to developing the whole child. While the weekly music classes are skill-based and group oriented I am interested in your child's musical activities outside of school and am happy to discuss your child's musical needs and interests! If you have any musical talents you would like to share, I would love to have you visit a class. Similarly, I would love to hear about Burke's students, parents and alumni who participate in music outside of school!

Lisa Mandelstein, K-4 Music: x322 or Lisa.M@KDBS.org

First Grade Music

Weekly Class Music Schedule
Each first grade section participates in two 40-minute music sessions per week. For exact days and times of your daughter's music class you may check with her classroom teacher or the Lower School Music Specialist.

Music in Community
In addition to the weekly classes, music is infused into many of Burke's traditions. At weekly assemblies the girls enter and leave singing. Songs are chosen to augment a topic of the assembly, to celebrate the time of year, or just for the joy and beauty of the song. The repertoire ranges in genre from the classics of the American musical to traditional rounds, camp songs, and folk and art songs from around the world.

Performances and Sharing for Parents and Family
Performances allow students to demonstrate new skills, become more comfortable in front of an audience, and experience the joy of ensemble and performing. The support you give to your daughter's music education through attendance at performances is vital! Mark your calendars so you are sure to attend.

September 18, 2009    Lower School Picnic sharing (11:30 a.m. -1:00 p.m.)
December 18, 2009     Holiday Sing Along (10:15 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.)
April 27, 2010              1B Music Room Sharing (8:40 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.)
April 28, 2010              1A Music Room Sharing (8:40 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.)
April 29, 2010              1C Music Room Sharing (8:40 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.)

First Grade Curriculum and Skills
In addition to strengthening and continuing the kindergarten skills, first grade materials are chosen to emphasize:

* Combining beat and rhythmic concepts; division of the beat
* Introduction to rhythmic notation (quarter note, eighth note, and quarter rest)
* Introduction to melodic tone syllables (so, mi, la) using hand signs and written notation
* Basic accompaniment skills with a variety of instruments
* Binary form (AB) in dance and music

Integrated themes and projects may include: Space (science); different country studies (social studies); Instruments of the Orchestra, and a field trip to the San Francisco Symphony.

Contact
Burke's is dedicated to developing the whole child. While the weekly music classes are skill-based and group oriented I am interested in your child's musical activities outside of school and am happy to discuss your child's musical needs and interests! If you have any musical talents you would like to share, I would love to have you visit a class. Similarly, I would love to hear about Burke's students, parents and alumni who participate in music outside of school (you may send information to the e-mail address below).

Lisa Mandelstein, K-4 Music: x322 or Lisa.M@KDBS.org

Second Grade Music

Weekly Class Music Schedule
Each second grade section participates in two 40-minute music sessions per week. For exact days and times of your daughter's music class you may check with her classroom teacher or the Lower School Music Specialist.

Music in Community
In addition to the weekly classes, music is infused into many of Burke's traditions. At weekly assemblies the girls enter and leave singing. Songs are chosen to augment a topic of the assembly, to celebrate the time of year, or just for the joy and beauty of the song. The repertoire ranges in genre from the classics of the American musical to traditional rounds, camp songs, and folk and art songs from around the world.

Performances and Sharing for Parents and Family
Performances allow students to demonstrate new skills, become more comfortable in front of an audience, and experience the joy of ensemble and performing. The support you give to your daughter's music education through attendance at performances is vital! Mark your calendars now so you are sure to attend.

September 18, 2009     Lower School Picnic sharing (11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.)
December 18, 2009      Holiday Sing Along (10:15 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.)
April 16, 2010               2nd, 3rd, 4th Grade Lower School Concert (8:45 a.m. - 9:45 a.m.)

Second Grade Curriculum and Skills
In addition to strengthening and continuing the first grade skills, second graders study:

* Augmentation of the beat (half and whole notes)
* Pentatonic scale, pitch symbols and patterns (mi, re, do)
* Construction of rhythmic patterns for improvisation
* Singing rounds and partner songs
* ABA form

Integrated themes and projects may include: Pilgrims and Wampanoags, Westward Expansion through song and dance, Famous women in music.

Contact
Burke's is dedicated to developing the whole child. While the weekly music classes are skill-based and group oriented I am interested in your child's musical activities outside of school and am happy to discuss your child's musical needs and interests! If you have any musical talents you would like to share, I would love to have you visit a class. Similarly, I would love to hear about Burke's students, parents and alumni who participate in music outside of school (you may send information to the e-mail address below).

Lisa Mandelstein, K-4 Music: x322 or Lisa.M@KDBS.org

Third Grade Music

Weekly Class Music Schedule
Each third grade section participates in two 40-minute music sessions per week. For exact days and times of your daughter's music class check with her classroom teacher or the Lower School Music Specialist.

Music in Community
In addition to the weekly classes, music is infused into many of Burke's traditions. At weekly assemblies the girls enter and leave singing. Songs are chosen to augment a topic of the assembly, to celebrate the time of year, or just for the joy and beauty of the song. The repertoire ranges in genre from the classics of the American Musical to traditional rounds, camp songs, and folk and art songs from around the world.

A special third grade classroom tradition that begins sometime after winter break is "Musical Lunch." The girls bring lunches and eat in the classroom while sharing their talents. All are welcome to share pieces learned in music lessons, skits prepared with friends, jokes, stories or even a magic trick! You will hear more about this from the classroom teachers.

Performances and Sharing for Parents and Family
Performances allow students to demonstrate new skills, become more comfortable in front of an audience, and experience the joy of ensemble and performing. The support you give to your daughter's music education through attendance at performances is vital! Mark your calendars now so you are sure to attend.

September 18, 2009   Lower School Picnic sharing (11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.)
December 18, 2009    Holiday Sing Along (10:15 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.)
February 25, 2010      Chinese Lion Dance Parade (10:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.)
April 16, 2010             2nd, 3rd, 4th Grade Lower School Concert (8:45 a.m. - 9:45 a.m.)

Third Grade Curriculum and Skills
In addition to strengthening and continuing the second grade skills, third graders study:

* Introduction to triple meter; sixteenth and whole note values
* Pentatonic scale patterns and minor modalities
* Contrapuntal texture, expanded accompaniments; rondo form
* Introduction to recorders

Integrated themes and projects may include: Native cultures of California, Chinese and Chinese-American music (Lion dance and music), recycling (science).

Contact
Burke's is dedicated to developing the whole child. While the weekly music classes are skill-based and group oriented I am interested in your child's musical activities outside of school and am happy to discuss your child's musical needs and interests! If you have any musical talents you would like to share, I would love to have you visit a class. Similarly, I would love to hear about Burke's students, parents and alumni who participate in music outside of school (you may send information to the e-mail address below).

Lisa Mandelstein, K-4 Music: x322 or Lisa.M@KDBS.org

Fourth Grade Music

Weekly Class Music Schedule
Each fourth grade section participates in two 40-minute music sessions per week. For exact days and times of your daughter's music class check with her classroom teacher or the Lower School Music Specialist.

Performances and Sharing for Parents and Family
Performances allow students to demonstrate new skills, become more comfortable in front of an audience, and experience the joy of ensemble and performing. The support you give to your daughter's music education through attendance at performances is vital! Mark your calendars now so you are sure to attend.

September 18, 2009     Lower School Picnic sharing (11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.)
December 18, 2009      Holiday Sing Along (10:15 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.)
April 16, 2010               2nd, 3rd, 4th Grade Lower School Concert (8:45 a.m. - 9:45 a.m.)

Fourth Grade Curriculum and Skills
In addition to strengthening and continuing third grade skills, music study in the fourth grade focuses upon the further development of musicianship, music literacy, and creative thinking. These are approached through learning the instrumental techniques of playing the soprano recorder (girls will bring home their recorders after they can play their first five songs), reading musical notation, and exploring improvisational skills within the discipline of the ensemble. Music concepts include:

* Syncopation
* Diatonic melodies
* Pitch names of the treble clef
* Two-chord accompaniment
* Theme and variations

Integrated themes and projects may include: Native cultures of California, "Island of the Blue Dolphin," Sea Chanteys, Songs of the Gold Rush, Songs of the Transcontinental Railroad.