Tag: music-education

Head’s Corner: Learning to Listen, Together

Last Friday morning, a group of Saklan parents gathered with Isaac to experience our West African drumming program firsthand.

Isaac introduced us to movements from West African music traditions and explained what they communicate to an audience. For us, those first dance steps offered another lesson: learning very often requires a willingness to step outside your comfort zone.

Dancing (sometimes awkwardly) with other adults makes us vulnerable — and connected — through movement and laughter. It was a useful reminder of what we ask of our children every day—to take risks, try new things, and trust the people around them.

As we moved into drumming, Isaac emphasized the importance of listening. He remarked that in West Ghanaian culture, there is a strong emphasis on listening over speaking, and that our first responsibility in making music together is to listen to others before adding our own contributions.

That idea reaches well beyond music. Collaboration and learning depend on noticing what others are doing, making room for their contributions, and adjusting our own. In a classroom, a conversation, or a group of musicians, listening helps us find our place while staying connected to the whole.

We ended by talking about the many kinds of learning involved in making music: attention, memory, movement, coordination, and connection with others. We left with a deeper appreciation of what our students experience in the drumming program—and why it has a meaningful place at Saklan.

For me, the morning brought several of our beliefs about learning to life. We learn through experience. We grow when we feel comfortable enough to take a risk. And we contribute more thoughtfully when we first make the effort to connect and listen.

Isaac gave us a chance to practice all three, together.

#SaklanHeadsCorner #SaklanHandsOn #SaklanCommunity

Middle School Student Musicians

In middle school, student musicians move from a general music education program to an elective program. While all students still partake in the music program, they have a choice in their class each of the three years. This year, middle school musicians chose between choir, ensemble, and production. In choir, students focus on developing as singers; in ensemble, the focus is on developing as instrumentalists. Production allows students to develop skills in digital music production. All middle school students will be represented in the All-School Concert in March and will participate in the Middle School Musical in the spring.

In Choir, middle school students have been diving into the world of musical theater by exploring a variety of lively numbers. They’ve worked on “Good Morning” and “Moses Supposes” from Singing in the Rain, allowing students to embody different characters while singing. Students have also practiced “Little Shop of Horrors” in three-part harmony, working on blending their voices and mastering timing in this upbeat, fun piece. Also, they’ve explored “Happiness” from You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, and “Green Eggs and Ham” from Seussical, both challenging students with dynamic vocal ranges and expressive storytelling.

Mondays in Choir are “Music Theory Mondays,” where students practice reading rhythms and melodies, building their foundational skills in music notation. This structured focus on theory helps students become more confident in sight-reading and understanding the technical aspects of the music they perform. Through these activities, students develop their vocal technique and ability to engage with different characters and emotions.

Stay tuned to see what students have been learning in the ensemble and music production classes!