General Music
Young students at The People’s Music School begin their musical journeys with General Music, a program that teaches the foundations of music designed for elementary students grades K – 2.
Our cumulative General Music curriculum is divided into three levels, each which build on the elements of theory, individual performance, ensemble performance, improvisation, and composition.
Students demonstrate their learnings and knowledge through voice, glockenspiel, recorder, or rhythm sticks.
General Music students receive instruction online, gaining the benefits of technology integration and dynamic learning tools. Young students get to experience a wide range of music technology, from digital metronomes and tuners to high-performing notation software and composition programs.
OUTSTANDING JURY
General Music Student Alexander R.
Juries are an essential part of the General Music program. Students experience the hard work and rigor necessary to prepare for a final graded performance and walk away with the pride and confidence gained from the opportunity to demonstrate their musical abilities.
GENERAL MUSIC LEVELS AT A GLANCE
LEVEL 1
All Level 1 students will be able to sing/play one-part diatonic melodies with modeling.
- Improvisation skills: imitation, 3-note melody creation
- Singing/Vocal: distinguish high/low voice types, perform pieces in single meters
- Rhythmic Literacy: maintain steady beat at varied tempos with assistance; perform read, and write quarter, whole, and half notes
- Pitch Literacy: label lines/spaces in treble clef, recognize same vs. different
LEVEL 2
All Level 2 students will be able to sing/play one-part diatonic melodies both independently and with modeling.
- Improvisation skills: rhythmic generation, imitation, 3-note melody creation
- Singing/Vocal: chest singing, perform 2-4 measure call and response, perform major scale
- Rhythmic Literacy: maintain steady beat at varied tempos (limited assistance); understand function of time signature, sight read (as appropriate)
- Pitch Literacy: label lines/spaces in bass clef, create 2-4 measure melodic composition
LEVEL 3
All Level 3 students will be able to sing/play one-part diatonic melodies both independently and with modeling.
- Improvisation skills: rhythmic generation, imitation, pentatonic and blues melody creation
- Singing/Vocal: head and chest voice singing, name four different choral voices, perform with changing meters
- Rhythmic Literacy: maintain steady beat at varied tempos (independently); sixteenth note syllables, dotted quarter note syllables
- Pitch Literacy: label lines/spaces in grand staff, recall of fingerings/notes, perform one-octave major scale
RESOURCE GUIDE
The People’s Music School has devleoped a comprehensive General Music Resource Guide and Music Glossary, both of which are used to assist teaching artists with lesson planning and implementing the curriculum. Resources represent a wide array of genres, cultures, knowledge bases, and learning styles.