Music at SRES

Music

Whether it's a beautiful handbell piece at Lessons and Carols, a sweet song at Mother’s Day Bunny, or a full ensemble moment in Grade 8’s annual musical, there is no escaping the wondrous world of music at St. Richards.

The musicianship of St. Richard's students is displayed in numerous culminating performance opportunities, but how does our music program as a whole help student development?

Social-Emotional Learning

Much like other fine arts subjects, music does wonders for the social-emotional development of a child. According to the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), music class provides a safe space for students to collaborate creatively with peers, building positive developmental relationships. This benefit is seen first-hand, especially in our various songwriting projects. Music is also a gateway to cultures around the world. Studying the role and context of music in various places provides students with social awareness and empathy, contributing to the development of a mind that is curious and kind.

Perseverance

All of the performances at St. Richard’s are for the community’s enjoyment, but the benefits for students are even greater. Studies show that by providing students with an opportunity to practice and master a skill (such as a number in a musical or a song on ukulele), students depend on exercising their perseverance and self-management day after day in rehearsals. Completing a performance builds confidence and public speaking skills as well as a self-evaluation mindset. Students who actively participate in music education also have higher self-efficacy.

Community

Music plays a huge role in the St. Richard’s community. Events at private institutions are especially important because our school community isn’t confined to one neighborhood. Music performances create many of these opportunities to bring our vast population together. Apart from the very visible side of our music programs, our community experiences the power of faith and music together each week in chapel. It is so powerful to be in the room when our Lower and Middle Division students are all singing out together! As the saying goes, singing is praying twice, and music strengthens the faith in our St. Richard’s community.

Music Classes & Lessons

All students have multiple music classes each week: Early Childhood three times per week, Lower and Middle Division students twice weekly.
Music classes include singing instruction and exploration of various instruments, such as ukulele and handbells.
School choirs are also offered. The Singing Dragons for Lower Division is offered outside of class hours. Dragonettes and Dragontones for Middle Division are scheduled and graded as a class.
Guitar, piano, and ukulele lessons are offered after school with strings lessons in the morning.
St. Richard’s students can also take piano and strings lessons during aftercare.

Theatre and Performances

The Performing Arts and public speaking are woven into class projects for students as young as 3 years old and are intentionally structured to boost confidence and poise.

Early Childhood performances are some of our most beloved traditions. Every student in Grades 1 through 8 has multiple opportunities each year to make presentations in front of their peers and families. All Grade 8 students perform onstage in the capstone musical project.

Art

The plastic arts of painting, drawing, collage, pottery, and more provide St. Richard's students with tactile ways to explore their world and look at life's experiences in new ways.

Our youngest learners in Early Childhood have art incorporated into their daily classes in their familiar classroom spaces. Process art approaches focus on the experience rather than the product. Grades 1 through 8 visit our Art Studio weekly. At all grade levels, art is often created from found objects and recycled materials.