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The Arts
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The Arts - Music
Music takes many forms at Moorestown Friends, with instruction beginning in PreSchool and continuing through electives in Upper School. Students learn to sing, read music, play instruments and appreciate a variety of musical styles. Performance opportunities include concerts, talent shows and "coffee houses," and students can join vocal choirs as well as instrumental and string ensembles. The digital recording studio allows students to compose, arrange and record music. Music in the Lower School
Moorestown Friends offers many opportunities for children to perform. These include a Winter Concert for all Lower School students, musical plays for each pre-kindergarten through fourth grade class, and, for third- and fourth- graders, talent shows and a Spring Concert. In Pre-School and Pre-Kindergarten students learn how to match pitch with the singing voice and how to repeat rhythm sequences. In Kindergarten and first grade, basic note reading skills and the introduction of simple Kodaly rhythm symbols and solfege melodic syllables are added to the program. By using music books, charts, and papers, students begin to learn new and different ways of expressing and notating music. A great deal of time during the fall in 2nd, 3rd and 4th grades is spent on learning to read music. The Kodaly rhythm symbols are used to drum as 3rd- and 4th-graders compose original rhythm compositions. All 2nd-graders learn to play violin through the Suzuki method and perform in a concert at the end of the year. Students learn to play the recorder in 3rd and 4th grade. Each spring, general music becomes a concentrated study. Second-graders explore different types of music, dance, and theater. Third graders concentrate on learning about the instruments of the orchestra. Fourth graders enjoy a unit on the history of rock music.
Moorestown Friends Middle and Upper School students can participate in choral groups that perform at school events and in community settings. Choirs include A Cappella Choir (a select chamber ensemble), Concert Choir, Women's Choir, Middle School Choir, and 5th grade Choir. In alternating years, the Upper School Choirs travel for a choir trip to participate in a choral festival. They perform for adjudicators and choirs from across the country, getting feedback on their performance from the judges. They also attend concerts by other choirs. All choirs perform two concerts at Moorestown Friends School, with one in the winter, and one in the spring.
Fifth grade students choose to participate in either the Fifth Grade Choir, the Fifth Grade String Ensemble or the Fifth Grade Instrumental Ensemble. In their sixth- through eighth-grade years, students can choose to play in either the Middle School Ensemble or the Middle School String Ensemble. The Upper School Symphonic Ensemble plays a wide range of material, ranging from traditional symphonic band literature to jazz arrangements. This group, in alternating years, participates in national music festivals. There is also an Upper School String Ensemble, which is sometimes combined with the Symphonic Ensemble to comprise a small orchestra. The Chamber Ensemble offers students at the most advanced level an opportunity to play challenging chamber works at several events and concerts throughout the year. Bass and guitar ensembles are also offered courses. In addition, members of the MFS music faculty and other adjunct music teachers offer after-school private instruction on several different instruments. General Music Middle School students study music theory and music history from 5th - 8th grade as part of the Arts curriculum rotation, along with theater, studio art, art history, and woodworking. In Upper School, music theory as well as AP music theory are offered. Minor courses are also offered in composition and popular music history.
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The
Lower School music program provides many musical experiences
for children at all levels. Listening to many types
of music, moving to music, creating music, experimenting
with sound, singing, reading music and playing the
recorder and the xylophone are all important parts
of a child's musical development.
Choral
Music 
Instrumental Music 
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