Elementary Music
Our music teacher is Mr. Matt Langhorne, a certified ORFF teacher from The Royal Conservatory of Music of Toronto. Matt received first class honours in Special Education Through Music for Exceptional Children from York University and has been teaching children the Music Makers Method for over 20 years. He also works with various music groups and teaches drums/percussion privately.
The first year elementary students read music and play songs on the recorder from their music books. The recorder provides an inexpensive introduction to the woodwind and brass instruments. It gives children an opportunity to explore their aptitude for these ‘mouth instruments’ and to develop small muscle control and finger independence required for any instrumental training later. Everything learned in this way is applicable to further studies on any instrument.
Choosing an instrument for later studies is a very personal choice for the child. It involves not only the child’s aptitude for a certain type of instrument, but the pitch range of the instrument, and its inherent tone quality, or timber – which form an emotional bond with the child, and provide the incentive to master the instrument.
