FIRESIDE ELEMENTARY
GENERAL MUSIC PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

MUSIC TEACHERS
Doug Haley  doug.haley@bvsd.org  (All classes except 1F and 1R)
Carmen Olguin-Tayler carmen.olguin-tayler@bvsd.org (1F and 1R)


General music is required for all students at Fireside Elementary.  Students attend music class daily for 35 minutes every other week, with the exception of Kindergartners, who attend Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday for 25 minutes every other week.  General music classes are structured to meet the curricular objectives and learning outcomes of the Boulder Valley School District, and State of Colorado and National Standards for Music Education.

The general music program focuses on the individual child and the development of his/her musical skills in the classroom setting.  A variety of singing, moving, listening, dancing, dramatizing, music-reading, and instrument-playing activities are incorporated to encourage the development of basic musical skills such as beat, pitch, rhythm, tempo, dynamics, and tone color.

In the upper grades, basic skills are still emphasized, but the focus shifts more to the reading and writing of musical notation and group and individual performance.  Students are taught the fundamentals of reading music through singing exercises and experiences with melodic musical instruments such as the recorder, piano keyboard, and handbells.  Thematic units of study are common in grades 3-5.  For example, 5th grade students complete units in which they learn about different aspects of music history, such as Broadway musicals, classical composers, and rock music.

Following a yearly tradition, 5th grade students will present their own version of a musical on November 14 and 15.  This year’s musical will be The Wizard of Oz.  All 5th grade students participate in this production by singing, dancing and acting as part of the chorus.  Students who are interested in a larger role may choose to audition and will be required to participate in after-school rehearsals.  Parent volunteers are always needed to make the musical a success.  Please contact Mr. Haley if you are interested in helping with accompanying, costuming, or stage decoration.

4th and 5th grade students also have the opportunity to participate as a member of the Fire Choir, an extra-curricular performing group.  The choir meets on Mondays and Fridays before school at 7:10 a.m.  It is open to any child who wants to participate.  Fire Choir gives children who have an extra desire to perform a chance to really “show their stuff”.  Cost is $15 for the year, which includes a T-shirt.  Scholarships are available.

By the time a student leaves the general music program at Fireside Elementary, we expect that they will have a grasp of basic musical skills, an amount of confidence in their own singing voice, a rudimentary knowledge of musical notation, an awareness of various musical styles, and a positive attitude toward music.  Perhaps the most important thing that we can do as your child’s music teacher is to foster a love of music that will endure past the elementary school years and on into adulthood.

Any help that parents can give to help foster a love of music in their children is greatly appreciated.  Sharing, discussing, and listening to music with their child are some ways parents can help.  Many families choose to enroll their children in private music lessons.  We have a list of private teachers in this area and will be glad to share a copy with you.

Students will be assessed on their performance in general music class on a special progress report that will come home with the student’s regular classroom report card.  The student and his/her parents are welcome to request a special music conference at conference time or at any other time that such a conference may be needed to help a child have a more positive experience with music.

Please contact either of us by phone, e-mail, or in person if you have any questions.  You can also find more information online  at: <schools.bvsd.org/fireside/music/music.html>.