The music program at Sullins Academy is committed to providing an aesthetic environment that enables students to develop a lifelong appreciation for the performing arts. Knowledge of music is fundamental to the education of the whole child, allowing students to draw connections between the disciplines, to understand the importance of the continuation of cultural heritages, and to find joy and excitement in the learning process.

PRESCHOOL & JUNIOR KINDERGARTEN

Preschool students are introduced to music and its concepts in their regular classroom, as well as, the music classroom. Young children engage in music as play. When offered a variety of drums and strikers, children play with sound. When young children hear music, they move to it. Once children learn to sing, they create their own melodies and invent their own words to familiar songs. These practices are realized in each preschool music class that meets weekly. The students explore opposites such as quiet and loud, fast and slow, long and short, and high and low. A variety of musical timbres are presented through singing, hearing, and playing instruments. Movement is also a key component in understanding music in the early phases. As children respond to and explore music through movement, the underlying concepts are reinforced and a foundation for further music appreciation is formed. In preschool, the music curriculum is a tool for developing listening and creative expression.

KINDERGARTEN - FIFTH GRADE:

The Sullins model for music education is built upon each student progressing in their knowledge per annum. Kindergarten students at Sullins are introduced to music through beat (steady beat), voice (whisper, talk, shout), rhythm (discovering the difference between beat and rhythm), pitch, patterns, introduction to instruments, dynamics, duration, and listening.

As their year at Sullins progresses, students will learn to sing in tune and on pitch with more consistency, learn to demonstrate a steady beat with more consistency, coordinate movement with music in the form of dances, more complex circle games, and creative movement.

Students will sing in tune and on pitch with more consistency and will demonstrate a steady beat with more consistency at different tempo. The children will coordinate movement with music in the form of more complex dances, circle games and creative movement.

MIDDLE SCHOOL:

Middle School students have music once a week for the entire year. In this class they sing songs from various genres of music to learn concepts of music theory and to improve vocal technique. The Sullins middle school student will enjoy taking ownership of their programs by taking part in the creative process of a program by writing a “Pop Opera.” They will learn about the recording studio by visiting the Birthplace of Country Music Museum. The Sullins graduate will leave with an appreciation of different composers of all genres.