Piano

K through 8

The GSA K-8 Piano program is designed to promote a life-long love of music. A student's course of study is tailored to her individual development/skill/experience level and consists of a unique combination of one-on-one and group lessons in both application and music theory, practice and experimentation time, performance opportunities, and a variety of activities involving listening, discussion, and written response. The Faber and Faber Piano Adventures series lesson book materials are supplemented with repertoire from numerous sources and disparate styles. The girls learn how to decode and respond physically to traditional western music notation and interact with multiple number systems simultaneously. Reinforcement through in-class and at-home practice is an essential component of progress, and students are taught both healthy physiological approaches and strategic practice methods such as identifying patterns and layers, counting whole and subdivided beats, setting and meeting reasonable/strategic goals, hands-separate work, and small-section drilling. As a student advances, more abstract and/or nuanced issues of musicianship such as structure analysis, compositional technique, tactile relationship with the keyboard, constructive critique, personal interpretation, and expressive choices are incorporated into discussions and lessons. The girls participate in two school-wide concerts per year, as well as other performances as they arise. These events provide performance experience as well as opportunities to learn and practice appropriate performer and audience etiquette. Throughout the course of the year, piano students at all levels are exposed to and encouraged to share their responses to a wide variety of musics representing disparate traditions, time periods, and levels of formality. Music is explored in a synaesthetic and interdisciplinary context.

Strings

Lower School

Strings class at the GSA is a goal-oriented activity, since learning music is first about making music. Posture, theory, and technique are presented as important tools to reach the goal of making music and having fun, which provides a foundation for deeper and often interdisciplinary learning experiences.

Kindergarten students play the violin, and the emphasis is on breathing, balance, and fine motor skills. The students are introduced to music reading and focus on tone production and rhythm through unison songs. They also participate in toss-and-catch games that improve coordination.

1st grade students continue to play the violin, but 2nd grade and older students are offered the option to play the violin, viola, or cello. In both 1st and 2nd grades, much time in devoted to group playing skills and teamwork. The students gain confidence in reading and writing music, develop a more controlled tone, play songs in two-part and three-part harmony, and learn practice skills and performance etiquette.

3rd and 4th grade students play in four-part harmony and gain exposure to a wider array of musical styles, including fiddling songs, classical pieces, and material from folk traditions around the world. They tackle a new range of scales, rhythms, and bowings, and learn how these can be used to create a wider variety of moods and expression.

Middle School

In Middle School, the focus of Strings class is on developing a more autonomous approach to the instrument while reaching a more refined level of musicianship. The students choose some of the songs themselves and become more critical in their playing and practicing. They tackle a wider variety of musical styles, including rock songs and unedited classical pieces, and work on making their playing more expressive, using vibrato and a wider bowing palette. This experience often becomes a springboard for more in-depth discussions of music's emotions, as well as its correlation with other fields.

The most dedicated students are encouraged to take private lessons, audition for All-Region Orchestra, and play in Honors Orchestra. The less experienced players learn simpler parts and benefit from the help and modeling of their peers. As always, teamwork is emphasized both in orchestral and chamber music settings, and the approach is always goal-oriented: the students see their efforts rewarded during special performances held in conjunction with the Art program, school assemblies, and biannual school-wide concerts.