The Progression of Music Class 1 to Class 12

What music is in the Waldorf curriculum?

Class 1
In Music Class 1 we use singing games, dancing games, sing-alongs and stories to create music together. We explore physically the steady beat, how the beat relates to rhythm, and how beat and rhythm relate to melody in a naturally organic progression. The material we use incorporates the season we're in as well as aspects of the students’ Main Lesson blocks. Emphasis is on creative expression and musical exploration, where everyone participates together in the creation of beautiful music. Music Notation is introduced in a fun, organic way that relates to the Feeling Life of the music rather than the Intellectual. We will also introduce Beginning Recorder!

Class 2
In Music Class 2 we use singing games, dancing games, sing-alongs and stories to create music together. We explore physically the steady beat, how the beat relates to rhythm, and how beat and rhythm relate to melody in a naturally organic progression. The material we use incorporates the season we're in as well as aspects of the students’ Main Lesson blocks. Emphasis is on creative expression and musical exploration, where everyone participates together in the creation of beautiful music. Music Notation is introduced in a fun, organic way that relates to the Feeling Life of the music rather than the Intellectual. We will also introduce Beginning Recorder (some students may already be playing recorder at this age, and I take that into account as I incorporate complete beginners with those who have some recorder skills, so that we can all progress together.)

Class 3
In Music Class 3 we use singing games, dancing games, sing-alongs and stories to create music together. We explore physically the steady beat, how the beat relates to rhythm, and how beat and rhythm relate to melody in a naturally organic progression. The material we use incorporates the season we're in as well as aspects of the students’ Main Lesson blocks. Emphasis is on creative expression and musical exploration, where everyone participates together in the creation of beautiful music. Music Notation is introduced in a fun, organic way that relates to the Feeling Life of the music rather than the Intellectual. We incporporate Beginning/Intermediate Recorder into our musical explorations (some students may already be playing recorder at this age, and I take that into account as I incorporate complete beginners with those who have some recorder skills, so that we can all progress together).

Class 4
In Music Class 4 we use singing games, dancing games, sing-alongs and stories to create music together. We explore physically the steady beat, how the beat relates to rhythm, and how beat and rhythm relate to melody in a naturally organic progression. The material we use incorporates the season we're in as well as aspects of the students’ Main Lesson blocks. Emphasis is on creative expression and musical exploration, where everyone participates together in the creation of beautiful music. Music Notation is introduced in a fun, organic way that relates to the Feeling Life of the music rather than the Intellectual. We incorporate Beginning/Intermediate Recorder into our musical explorations (some students may already be playing recorder at this age, and I take that into account as I incorporate complete beginners with those who have some recorder skills, so that we can all progress together). 

Class 5
In Music Class 5 we use singing games, dancing games, and sing-alongs to create music together. We explore physically the steady beat, how the beat relates to rhythm, and how beat and rhythm relate to melody in a naturally organic progression. The material we use incorporates the changing seasons as well as aspects of the students’ Main Lesson blocks. Emphasis is on creative expression and musical exploration, where everyone participates together in the creation of beautiful music. Rythmic and Melodic Notation are explored in a fun, organic way that relates to the Feeling Life of the music rather than the Intellectual. We incorporate Beginning/Intermediate Recorder into our musical explorations (many students have already been playing recorder at this age, and I take that into account as I incorporate complete beginners with those who have some recorder skills, so that we can all progress together). We will also incorporate Beginning Ukelele!

Class 6
In Music Class 6 we use singing games, dancing games, and sing-alongs to create music together. We explore physically the steady beat, how the beat relates to rhythm, and how beat and rhythm relate to melody in a naturally organic progression. The material we use incorporates aspects of the students’ Main Lesson blocks. Emphasis is on creative expression and musical exploration, where everyone participates together in the creation of beautiful music. Rythmic and Melodic Notation are explored in a fun, organic way that relates to the Feeling Life of the music rather than the Intellectual. We incporporate Intermediate Recorder into our musical explorations (many students have already been playing recorder at this age, and I take that into account as I incorporate complete beginners with those who have some recorder skills, so that we can all progress together). We will also incorporate Beginning/Intermediate Ukelele!

Class 7
In Music Class 7 we use singing games, dancing games, and sing-alongs to create music together. We explore physically the steady beat, how the beat relates to rhythm, and how beat and rhythm relate to melody in a naturally organic progression. The material we use incorporates aspects of the students’ Main Lesson blocks. Emphasis is on creative expression and musical exploration, where everyone participates together in the creation of beautiful music. Rythmic and Melodic Notation are explored in a fun, organic way that relates to the Feeling Life of the music rather than the Intellectual, and we will compose our own songs. We incorporate Intermediate Recorder into our musical explorations (many students have already been playing recorder at this age, and I take that into account as I incorporate complete beginners with those who have some recorder skills, so that we can all progress together). We will also incorporate Beginning/Intermediate Ukelele!

Class 8
In Music Class 8 we use singing games, dancing games, and sing-alongs to create music together. We explore physically the steady beat, how the beat relates to rhythm, and how beat and rhythm relate to melody in a naturally organic progression. The material we use incorporates aspects of the students’ Main Lesson blocks. Emphasis is on creative expression and musical exploration, where everyone participates together in the creation of beautiful music. Rythmic and Melodic Notation are explored in a fun, organic way that relates to the Feeling Life of the music rather than the Intellectual, and we will compose our own songs. We incporporate Intermediate Recorder into our musical explorations (many students have already been playing recorder at this age, and I take that into account as I incorporate complete beginners with those who have some recorder skills, so that we can all progress together). We will also incorporate Beginning/Intermediate Ukelele!

Class 9
In Music Class 9 we use singing games, dancing games, and sing-alongs to create music together. We explore physically the steady beat, how the beat relates to rhythm, and how beat and rhythm relate to melody in a naturally organic progression. The material we use incorporates aspects of the students’ Main Lesson blocks. Emphasis is on creative expression and musical exploration, where everyone participates together in the creation of beautiful music. Rythmic and Melodic Notation are explored in a fun, organic way that relates to the Feeling Life of the music rather than the Intellectual, and we will compose our own songs. We incporporate Intermediate Recorder into our musical explorations (many students have already been playing recorder at this age, and I take that into account as I incorporate complete beginners with those who have some recorder skills, so that we can all progress together). We will also incorporate Beginning/Intermediate Ukelele! 

Class 10
In Music Class 10 we will explore our creative skills as we compose our own songs, using basic musical building blocks and whatever instruments the students have at hand -- everything from guitars/piano/violin/recorder etc, to "found percussion" (making rhythm with whatever objects are available, pots&pans, etc). Students will come away with a professionally mixed recording of their composition.

Class 11
Building on current students’ musical abilities (including instruments played and previously studied either in school or private lessons) and prior musical experience (in school, private lessons, music, making with family and friends), we will work together to create our own unique musical compositions. We will use traditional instruments as well as “found percussion” instruments and body percussion to facilitate our explorations. The 8-week course culminates with the professional-level recording/mixing of our composition, performed by us, and presented as a digital recording for us to keep and share.

Class 12
Building on current students’ musical abilities (including instruments played and previously studied either in school or private lessons) and prior musical experience (in school, private lessons, music, making with family and friends), we will work together to create our own unique musical compositions. We will use traditional instruments as well as “found percussion” instruments and body percussion to facilitate our explorations. The 8-week course culminates with the professional-level recording/mixing of our composition, performed by us, and presented as a digital recording for us to keep and share.

Watch Music samples HERE.