Music Curriculum: Ages Six to Nine

Music

The Montessori music programme includes listening, singing, music theory and ear training, eurhythmics (movement and rhythm), composition, production of music (playing of instruments), history and literature. Children experience, learn about and explore the elements of music, including pitch, rhythm, intensity, timbre, form and style are included. Montessori music activities are based on one of the following two principles:

• isolation of difficulty, where an element of music is isolated for study

• experience of the whole, where children experience a synthesis of musical elements working together to create a whole work

Key lessons in music are given individually, and in both small and large groups. These lessons enable children to use music for self-expression and communication. The lessons are sequenced to build children’s skills progressively, but they are also given in response to children’s emerging interests.

Music is integrated into the Montessori curriculum. Music lessons are not presented as separate from other curriculum areas. For example, as part of their normal class work, children may research a musical instrument or a composer, practise a musical instrument (with the exception of percussion instruments that might be too disturbing) or compose a short piece of music. For this reason the music materials and activities are always available for the children to use. They are prepared so children can use them independently and with as much repetition as they need. As with other activities and exercises in the Montessori environment, music activities build concentration, perseverance, success and confidence.

Two distinctive music materials found in the Montessori environment for children aged from six to twelve are:

• the Montessori bells

• the Montessori tone bars

The Montessori bells are a tuned musical instrument specially designed for young children to explore musical pitch, and learn to recognise and match musical notes. This instrument comprises two series of matching moveable bells (diatonic and chromatic) in the C Major Scale. The accompanying manipulative materials enable the children to explore, and learn how to use, musical notation.

The Montessori tone bars are a tuned musical instrument designed for older children. This instrument comprises twenty-five moveable tone bars on a wooden keyboard spanning two octaves. Accompanying manipulative materials enable children to explore musical notation further, and to begin experimenting with musical composition.