Participation in the New Hope-Solebury Music Department will help students build confidence, develop discipline, aim for group accomplishment, and most importantly, to experience the joy of music making through musical performance. Learning music is a meaningful and gratifying experience for children, as well as for people of all ages. The mixture of creativity, discipline, and communication that music study demands of children helps them succeed in school, society, and in life. Music education enhances imaginative thinking, encourages a positive self-image, and provides a platform to introduce diverse cultural heritages.
At the secondary level, we have the same dedication and commitment to furthering arts education. The arts constitute one of the five fundamental components of basic education, along with language arts, mathematics, physical science, and social sciences. These fields of study should be at the core of every child’s education. We believe music is a core subject. It should be taught to all students, at all grade levels. The music program is based on skills outlined in the National Standards for Music. The music program enables students to develop skills and knowledge in:
- Singing alone and with others, varied repertoire
- Performing on instrument
- Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniment
- Composing and arranging music within guidelines
- Reading and notating music
- Listening to, analyzing, and describing music
- Evaluation music and musical performances
- Understanding relationships between music and disciplines outside the arts
- Understanding music in relation to history and culture
- Notating and recording music through technology
