General Music is at the heart of good school music education. General music class is offered to all student whether or not they are able to or inclined to sing or play a musical instrument. It provides students with an introduction to many aspects of music, including:
- Music Literacy: Reading and writing, theory, understanding of music.
- History: Development and origins of various genres of music.
- Appreciation: Understanding value of music and listening skills.
- Skill-Building: Singing, reading, moving, creating and performing.
Benefits
General Music classes promote creative self-expression, aesthetic literacy, and innovative thinking and provide the attitudes and intellectual skills needed for students to discover, develop, and achieve group and individual personal musical potential.
It instills discipline and brings with it multiple benefits of learning music such as improved IQ, reading & writing skills, math skills, emotional stability, social skills to name a few. General music classes prepare students to be lifelong learners while gaining important musical knowledge and skills.
Goals
- To provide students with a well-rounded curriculum for music including appreciation, literature, theory, and performance skills.
- Increase students’ attention and discipline through performing and listening
- To provide understanding of global music, cultures and heritage.
- Provide basic musical skills as an outlet for creativity and self-expression.
- Provide an opportunity to succeed for students who have difficulty with other aspects of the school curriculum.
- Increase the satisfaction a student is able to derive from music listening, giving them a source of enjoyment they can use throughout life.
- Provide musical experiences that relate to subjects across the curriculum.
What will the students perform?
General Music Classes use the singing voice, body percussion (clapping, snapping, etc.), and basic classroom percussion instruments as the basis for teaching songs, music concepts, and theory. Classroom Percussion Instruments may include un-pitched instruments: finger cymbals, kartal, rhythm sticks, shakers, hand drums, triangle, tambourines, bongos, congas, drums, etc. Pitched Instruments: Xylophones, recorders, keyboards, or guitars may be part of the curriculum if available, but teaching a single musical instrument is not the goal of the General Music Class.
