At Pearson's Corner School, students participate in music activities in the regular classroom and through weekly music classes and special programs such as chorus, concerts, and plays.
Fourth and Fifth-Grade Chorus
Chorus is open to all fourth or fifth-grade students. The chorus rehearses once a week and participates in many school and community events. Some of these events include the winter concert, the Hanover County Schools Festival of Arts and Sciences, the All-County Fifth Grade Chorus, and the Annual Spring Concert for the Pearson's Corner PTA Picnic.
Music Philosophy
The Orff way of teaching music is an approach rather than a method. The goal is to lead students to develop musical awareness and skills through total involvement. While giving all students the opportunity to make music successfully at their own level and ability, teachers also offer challenges to the more capable students. Teachers who use the Orff approach must be flexible. They are aware of the responses of the students and can adapt, correct, reinforce, or expand the lesson according to the needs of the students.
The Orff Process
Carl Orff stated, "What then, is elemental music? Never music alone, but music connected with movement, dance, and speech—not to be listened to, meaningful only in active participation. Elemental music is pre-intellectual; it lacks great form; its contents earthly, natural, almost a physical activity. It can be learned and enjoyed by anyone. It is fitting for children."
What follows are the basic ideas involved in the Orff process:
- The Orff approach is student-centered. The teacher recognizes the student’s age, capabilities, and interests.
- Music may come from a variety of sources—children's chants and games, folk songs, stories, poems, melodies composed by the teacher or by the students, etc. Teachers may use anything that is important or relevant to the student as a basis for making music.
- Teaching always begins with a presentation of the "whole" (song, poem, or story). The "whole" is broken into small parts and eventually returns to the "whole" in expanded musical form.
- Every student is an active participant. Since students have different ways of learning, teachers must provide opportunities for visual, aural, and kinesthetic modes of learning. Every student learns every part.
- Every lesson should include movement and motor activity. This can be a means of self-expression. It can also reinforce visual and aural learning.
- Every lesson should include an opportunity for creative expression to interest and involve the student. Self-expression draws on previous learning experiences.
- Every lesson should include an element that expands the student's comprehensive musicianship, music notation, ear training, etc.
- The music curriculum emphasizes experiencing music as a part of the group: working together, playing together, learning together, and performing together.