Music
Music at Fairmount Park
During the week, all students grade K-5 will have a general music class during the school day with Mr. Pendergrass in the music room once a week.
Instrumental music instruction for students in grades 4-5 is also offered during the school day as a pull-out program.
Instrumental Music with Mr. Pendergrass
We are excited to offer Elementary Instrumental Music (EIM) to your student! My name is Ken Pendergrass and I will be your EIM teacher this year if you attend Louisa Boren STEM K-8, Alki Elementary, Pathfinder K-8 or Fairmount Park Elementary. The program is for 5th graders and for 4th graders if space is available. Instruments we teach are Violin, Cello, Flute, Clarinet, Trumpet, and Trombone. This is an optional program that students and families choose to participate in. During the school day, students leave their regular classrooms to go to EIM for about 30 minutes, one day per week. Enrollment for EIM is now closed for the 22-23 school year.
Louisa Boren STEM K8 Instrumental Schedule
Monday at STEM
9:05-9:35 Flute
9:40-10:10 Clarinet
10:15-10:45 Brass
11:00-11:30 Violin
12:40-1:10 Trumpet
1:15-1:45 Strings
1:50-2:20 Intermediate Brass
2:35-3:05 Intermediate Strings
Alki Elementary Instrumental Schedule
Tuesday morning at Alki:
8:00-8:30 Flute
8:35-9:05 Clarinet
9:05-9:35 Intermediate Strings
9:40-10:10 Brass
10:15-10:45 Trumpet
10:50-11:20 Strings
Pathfinder K8 Instrumental Schedule
Tuesday afternoon at Pathfinder:
1:25-1:55 Flute
2:00-2:30 Clarinet
2:35-2:55 Brass
2:55-3:25 Strings
Fairmount Park Instrumental Schedule
Wednesday at Fairmount Park:
8:20-8:50 Trombone
8:50-9:20 Trumpet
9:20-9:50 Strings
9:50-10:20 Intermediate Strings
12:05-12:35 Flute
12:40-1:10 Clarinet
Thursday at Fairmount Park:
9:35-10:05 Intermediate Band
Weekly Announcements all Instrumental Families
Week of December 12
Dear Instrumental families-
Books have arrived! Every student should now have a method book for their instrument. This book should come to school on lesson days and go home each week for practice. The books for each kind of instrument look very similar, so I have labeled each book with the student’s name and school. Feel free to add a clearer label to the book for your student.
What to Practice at Home
Each week I will be giving students practice assignments from the method book. Please add these assignments to your child’s homework schedule. For this week, December 12, students should be working through the songs and exercises on pages 6-8. Many of these exercises are simple tunes with only 3 or 4 notes, but our goal for this week is to be able to read and recognize the pitches on the music staff. Not just the note name or fingering but how and where it sits on the music staff. It is ok to move ahead in the book, but learning a song by rote (memory) doesn’t always mean you are reading the pitches. Take the time to learn those pitches by the fingering and their position on the music staff.
Need some help with note names? Watch this fun video on YouTube with a parent to help you learn (tip: flutes, clarinets, trumpets and violins play notes on the treble or G clef; cellos and trombones play notes on the bass or F clef): Stop using mnemonics for note names
Intermediate Groups-
If you are in a fifth grade intermediate band or strings group, please practice the sheet music or songs we are working on in class.
How long to practice at home
When it comes to practicing at home, I want students to have a goal of 10-15 minutes of practice a day.A daily routine encourages muscles to develop consistently. I also know families are busy. Make practice a daily habit, knowing that some days you might miss practicing due to…stuff!
Don’t think of practicing your instrument as something you do after your homework is done. Practicing needs to be a part of your homework schedule. One 30 minute lesson a week with Mr. Pendergrass is not enough to get better each week. If your instrument stays in your case during the week and is only played at your lesson at school, you will not get better. A little playing every day will ensure your success.
Finally: enjoy your Winter Break with family and look for a TalkingPoints message from me at the start of the new year to remind you to bring your instrument and book to school on your lesson day. Cheers!
Beginning Video Lessons
Here are some videos I created a few years ago to help you get started on your instrument