Whether in the classroom or on stage, students discover that we can all learn to make music in many different ways with the ultimate goal of praising God. The Lower School music curriculum draws from the Orff Schulwerk and the Kodály methods primarily. These approaches teach music through the medium children know best – play! An emphasis on folk song and movement creates a natural and joyful classroom environment for fostering musical awareness and sensitivity. The Middle School uses solfege methodology to gain a deep understanding of pitch and rhythm. All of these methods cultivate music literacy and develop performance skills. From Early Kindergarten to Grade 8, students create, perform, respond, and make connections with the foundational elements of music: melody, harmony, rhythm, form, timbre, listening and appreciation, history, and instruments (pitched and non-pitched). Instrumental students are encouraged to take private lessons and these students are asked to play periodically with the vocal ensembles or in chamber music settings. Performance experiences include in class, Chapel, Community Service, and Christmas and Spring concerts.