Specific grade level content

God made man’s voice and gave man the ability to invent musical instruments. He even enables us to write music and words.

Bach says, “The aim and final reason of all music should be nothing else but the glory of God and the refreshment of the spirit.”

Valley employs the national standards for music instruction to develop its curriculum. The following contend strands are presented

• Singing, alone, and with others, a varied repertoire of music
• Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music
• Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments
• Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines
• Reading and notating music
• Listening to, analyzing, and describing music
• Evaluating music and music performances
• Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and discipline outside the arts
• Understanding music in relation to history and culture

Preschool curriculum

• Singing and playing instruments
• Creating music
• Responding to music
• Understanding

Our preschoolers enjoy singing, accompanied by movement, listening appreciation, and playing simple instruments. They see musical ideas visualized. The repertoire of music includes folk songs, classical music, Christian music, and music from a variety of cultures, styles, and time periods.

Students in grades kindergarten through four learn music by doing. They acquire musical skills by singing, playing instruments, movement, and creating music.
They learn to read music, listen to, analyze, and evaluate music. Music from America as well as other cultures is appreciated.

Kindergarten to grade 4 curriculums

• Read notes and key signatures
• Use a system of numbers, syllables, or letters to read pitches in major keys
• Identify symbols and terms referring to dynamics, tempo, and articulation
• Create patterns of music using standard symbols

Grades five and six look more critically at music, as it often becomes a part of their personal musical repertoire. They are presented with music from diverse genres and cultures. They sing music written in two and three parts.

Grades five and six curriculums

• Read notes and key signatures
• Read simple melodies
• Identify symbols for pitch, rhythm, dynamics, tempo, articulation, and expression

Compare music in several cultures of the world, functions music serves, roles of musicians, and conditions under which music is typically performed.

*The above curriculum standards are from The School Music Program: A New Vision as presented by the Music Educators National Conference.

Our music curriculum is enhanced each year by various Bible-based musicals that are presented by preschoolers through grade six students. This year we have done Handel’s Messiah for young voices with grades four through six. The preschoolers through grade three presented the story of Nehemiah.

We take field trips to the Pennsylvania Ballet and the Philadelphia Orchestra at the Kimmel Center. Guest speakers and performers also visit our school. The West Virginia Woman performed for us last fall.