Sounds of Music w/ Mr. Wright

With our K–2 students, we’ve been diving into Solfege hand signs and enjoying a musical journey through The Sound of Music. I think I’ve played “Do-Re-Mi” more times—and in more creative variations—than I can count, but the magic is that the kids never tire of it. I’m constantly impressed by how many of them become completely entranced by that song. They genuinely embrace this playful but powerful method of learning music theory, and you can almost see the connections forming in real time.

In 2nd grade, we’ve been exploring “Apple Tree” in a couple of different formats, using it to reinforce steady beat, pitch relationships, and vocal confidence. Meanwhile, Kindergarten and 1st grade have been a bit squirrelly in the best way, which makes “Let Us Chase the Squirrel” the perfect outlet. The movement, the singing, the laughter—it all ties beautifully into helping them understand how Solfege pitches connect to the structure of a song.

When we play these musical games, the learning feels effortless. Students internalize pitch relationships and musical form without even realizing how much they’re absorbing. We have so much fun together that half the time I forget to take pictures of the little ones—they keep me far too busy smiling and moving right along with them.

Now I am really starting to see some incredible talent emerging in our young musicians. Our 3rd–5th graders are diving into their xylophone pieces, and they are thoroughly enjoying every moment of making music—there’s something magical about watching them confidently strike those bars and light up when they hear the melodies they create.

We’ve taken all the instruments off the shelves and brought them to life in the classroom. Students are exploring, experimenting, and learning so much through hands-on Orff instrument implementation. The room is filled with creativity, curiosity, and that wonderful blend of rhythm and excitement that tells you real musical growth is happening.

These kids are bursting with energy! We kick off each class with our cheerful "Hello to Music" song, followed by our lively "Do Re Mi's." I'm so impressed with how quickly they’ve picked up the Solfege hand signs—they’re doing an amazing job!

We've also been working on keeping a steady beat through our “Sweet Beats” activities, singing our colors, numbers, and so much more. During Hispanic Heritage Month, we had a blast learning a few Spanish words, dancing in a conga line, and shaking the maracas to the rhythm!

With some fun, organized movement, we learned steps to the Mexican Hat Dance and are now celebrating the fall season with games like "Climbing the Apple Tree" and "Pass the Pumpkin."

I'm excited to continue getting to know these incredible kids and discovering what they love most about music!

Presenting Our Amazing Xylophone Players!

This year, I've made xylophone playing a central part of starting out in our music instruction—and these students have truly risen to the challenge! Their enthusiasm and progress have been a joy to watch.

We usually kick off class with rhythm exercises and a variety of engaging music games like Pass the Beat Around the Room and Jump Jim Joe. Students also participate in structured movement activities—one highlight was dancing to Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September,” which was a huge hit! They’ve also had a blast learning the Cups Song and exploring rhythmic chants like Double Double This That. We even brought in a bit of cultural flair with La Raspa using cups for Spanish Heritage Month, paired with the catchy rhythm of Cho-co-la-te.

Throughout all of this, we continue to focus on foundational music skills, like understanding 4/4 time and recognizing a variety of rhythmic patterns and note values.

Looking ahead, we're gearing up for more instrumental fun:

• 🎶 3rd Grade: Getting their recorders soon!

• 🎶 4th Grade: Dusting off their recorders and diving back in!

• 🎶 5th Grade: About to start strumming some ukuleles!

I'm especially excited for the upcoming performance of High School Musical Jr., and I can’t wait to become more involved in the school's enrichment programs. Of course, we’re also beginning to prepare for our Spring Concerts—so please encourage your children to practice, practice... PRACTICE!