The music program has as its foundation the solfege approach to singing, which later transfers over to instrumental performance. Students from age 3 onward are trained to sing in head voice, using the solfege syllables and hand signs. Vocal warm-ups and rhythm drills are part of the daily routine. All students must sight sing a daily drill with progressively difficult rhythms and pitches. Music notation and vocabulary are incorporated naturally into the singing, as students learn how to sing scales, octaves, arpeggios and intervals, using expressive terminology such as forte, piano, crescendo, decrescendo, legato and staccato. All students must pronounce these terms with the correct Italian pronunciation.
All students perform on Orff percussion instruments. In 4th and 5th grades, students learn to play the flutophone, which is a type of recorder. They are able to read music based on their previous training in solfege.
Middle-school students have units of study on various instruments including piano, guitar, drums and handbells.
All students have the opportunity to sing or play instruments for chapel services, and often compose or arrange hymns for chapel.
Each year, a certain genre of music is presented for in-depth immersion. Last year, students listened to vocal music, which included opera and cantatas by the great composers.
This year, as we prepare for the Grandparents Day program, students are learning about the history of sacred music. The different periods of history – Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Contemporary – are being presented. Students will wear costumes representing each period, and will sing a song selected from each period. Many of the classes will sing in Latin.
During late Advent, the school and church present a Lessons and Carols Service, in which the students sing Advent and Christmas songs that correlate with the scripture readings from the service.
It is the goal of the music department to prepare students for high-school music classes, and to give students the tools and experience necessary to enrich their adult lives with the indescribable beauty that music can bring to each of us.
Trinity’s art program is designed to encourage students to explore and experience a wide variety of techniques with several different mediums. The students are introduced to the Elements of Design –color, line, shape, space, value, texture and form. They are also introduced to the Principles of Design – pattern, unity, emphasis, contrast, movement, balance and rhythm.
Students are encouraged to become familiar with several master artists and their timelines, referencing major periods and styles.
- Papier mache’
- Ink and pen
- Develop self-worth through self creation
- Develop knowledge of the elements of design
- Develop an appreciation of art
- Gain knowledge of art history
- Develop knowledge of art techniques and medium