Music Ensembles at Bennett
There are many music opportunities at
Bennett Elementary School. All students can
participate in one or more music ensembles.
Chorus, Band, and Orchestra-
Þ 4th Grade Beginner
Þ 5th & 6th Grade Intermediate
4th grade groups will rehearse on Tuesdays at
recess, and 5th & 6th grade group will
rehearse on Tuesdays and Fridays at 2:30pm.
All groups will participate in two school
concerts where they perform a variety of
music ranging from classical to
contemporary popular pieces.
After School Activities-
Monday – 4th Grade Beginner Jazz Band
Tuesday – 5th and 6th Grade Jazz Band
Wednesday – Ukulele Club
Thursday – Youth Chorale (select chorus)
Friday – Beginner Piano
Students wishing to participate in after
school activities should see Miss Bouchard
for more information. More information
and updates for each ensemble can be
found on Miss Bouchard’s page on our
school website.
Taking it Home
“Active learners develop more thorough and
better long-term understanding of the
material and ideas involved. Children who
regularly improvise and create their own
dances and musical settings are uniquely
prepared to solve problems in many other
contexts” (More on Orff, 2018). Onteora
General Music- Ask your children, “what did
you learn today in music?” Please be open to Central School
listening and even having your child teach
you the song or dance!
Ensembles- All students should bring home
hard copies of the music they are working on
in band, orchestra or chorus. The Essential
Elements book that the band and orchestra
students work from include an
accompaniment CD that students can
practice with. Be patient with their
beginning sounds, as they will improve with
A Guide to the
some encouragement and practice. This
plays a strong roll in a student’s willingness
Music Program at
to practice, improve and succeed. Bennett Elementary
Thank you for your support of music School
education at Bennett Elementary!
 Guide to Music at Bennett
Elementary School
This guide is to give an overview of the music
program at BES to the families of our many
musical students. In this guide, you will find our
program offerings and opportunities for
enrichment, along with the many benefits of
participation in music.
Whether your child is part of a family who has
performed on the OCS stage, or you are new to
the district, you can be a part of your child’s
musical enrichment, initiated by Miss Bouchard
at BES.
Please do not hesitate to contact me with any
questions at:
cbouchard@onteora.k12.ny.us
Our Musical Mission
The goal of our music program at OCS is to
provide every student with an opportunity to
study music. Our mission is to facilitate a
dynamic music education and to teach beginning
and accomplished musicians of all skill levels.
Students learn and discover music through active
music making and listening. It is our goal that all
students are granted opportunities to create,
perform, respond, and connect to music through
the various experiences and ensembles offered
in our district.
The Potential of Music Developing Musicianship and
Everyone is Musical Musicians
Everyone is born with musical ability! Studies
suggest that quality musical experiences from General Music (4th-6th Grade)
birth to the age of nine are most critical to 4th Grade
forming an aptitude for music. Elementary Fourth graders continue their skills on the
students are at their prime stage of development recorder and apply their music literacy skills to
for forming a love and understanding of music! play the xylophone in the classroom. All students
in fourth grade will have the option of learning
Children learn music using the same process they an instrument and becoming a member of the
use to learn a language. The best way to learn a BES band, orchestra or chorus.
language is to immerse yourself in that language.
In the language of music, that entails listening 5th Grade
and singing. This can be done at school, but also Fifth Graders continue their skills on the
at home! xylophones in the classroom. They will,
additionally, learn to play ukulele.
Why Music?
Studies suggest that 6th Grade
when students play Sixth Graders continue their skills on xylophones
instruments: and ukuleles in the classroom and will complete
Þ Multiple areas a composer research project.
of the brain are
used. Our Curriculum
Þ The brain All of the ideas and techniques learned in singing
experiences what is equivalent to a full (grades K-3) are effectively carried into
body workout. instrumental work (grades 4-6). Once a child has
Þ Almost every part of the brain is engaged mastered basic music theory and can read and
at once. write the tunes he/she hears, he/she is then free
to devote their energy and listening power to
New research also shows that participating in mastering an instrument (Richards, 1966). From
music can help students to: 4th grade on, much of the framework for learning
Þ Be problem-solvers. is based on self-discovery and active-learning.
Þ Decrease anxiety. Students will collaborate with groups and work
Þ Be persistent, responsible and together to problem-solve and learn new songs.
dependable beings. In this setting, I am able to circulate the room
Þ Be collaborative. and assist individual students and groups as
Þ Learn how to overcome failure, needed, helping students to overcome
recognize achievement, and strive for challenges and move forward in their learning.
success.
Sources:
Cutietta, R. A. (1991). Edwin Gordon's impact on the field of music aptitude. The Quarterly, 2(1-2), pp.73-77. (Reprinted with permission in Visions of
Research in Music Education, 16(2), Autumn, 2010). Retrieved from http://www-usr.rider.edu/~vrme.

Dalby, B. (2007). About music learning theory. Retrieved from http://giml.org /mlt/about/

Isbell, D. (2011). Learning Theories: Insights for Music Educators. General Music Today. doi:10.1177/1048371311425684.

Landau, E. (2016, February). This is your brain on music. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/ 2013/04/15/health/brain-music-research/

More On Orff Schulwerk - American Orff-Schulwerk Association. (2018). Retrieved from https://aosa.org/about/more-on-orff-schulwerk/

Richards, M. (1966). The Kodaly System in the Elementary Schools. Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education,(8), 44-48. Retrieved
from http://www.jstor.org/stable/40316916

[TED-ED]. (2012, August 13). Music as a language [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yRMbH36HRE

Walter, J. (2019, January). What employers want, musicians have. Teaching Music, 26(3), 24-26.