Music                                    

All MBVM students in grades Kindergarten through eighth grade attend music class two days a week taught by a certified, experienced music teacher.  All grades experience hands on learning with classroom instruments. Those instruments include mini xylophones, Orff instruments, recorders and hand chimes. 

Music classes also include listening and learning about the classics and their composers.  All music is age-appropriate for each class level.    The kindergarteners enjoy listening to the music and hearing the story of "Peter and the Wolf" by Serge Prokofiev.  After our "getting to know the instruments" unit, they enjoy recognizing each character by their instrument.

The fourth graders are always anxious to get their recorders in their hands to prepare for our Christmas Concert.  With the help of the recorders, the students get a real understanding of how to use the music symbols and concepts: notes, rests, beat, rhythm, bar lines, etc.  They have to think and respond as a team when they play their music in order to stay together.  They feel a great sense of accomplishment after they've played their first complete song.  The instrumental accompaniment CD's make them sound like real pros.

The junior high students enjoy researching some of the better known and not so well known musicians and performers.  Their classroom bulletin boards are shared with the entire school when they are completed.

 All students have plenty of opportunities to perform throughout the school year.  These opportunities include:

Annual Student Showcase during the Ice Cream Social

School Masses as cantors and musicians

Christmas Pageant/Concert

Illinois Elementary School Association Music Concert

Monthly classroom recitals