UKULELES K-5

It’s no secret that music education offers children numerous benefits that facilitate learning other subjects and enhance skills used in other areas, but why the ukulele? Students already play a lot of small percussion instruments in Scituate K-5 music classes, as well as learning the recorder in third grade, but, prior to this grant, there were no stringed instruments available in the music classroom. The goal of this program, as outlined by K-5 music teacher and grant applicant Peter Mundt, is to provide another outlet for making music and to expand the hands-on experience for all students in elementary school. “Our hope is to make all students lifelong consumers of music,” say the teachers.

And how’s this playing with the students? They love it! When asked for feedback about the benefits of learning the ukulele, their range of responses is insightful, charming and all positive. They tell us: It’s a lifetime skill that makes people happy; the ukulele is easily portable (take it to the beach, camping etc.); you can accompany your own singing; you can play in a band; it makes you a well-rounded person; you can express yourself! Mundt adds that many students like it so much that they are buying their own instruments. He emphasizes that this kind of expenditure would not have been possible without the SEF grant.

ABLETON PUSH

Introducing Ableton Live software to the music technology curriculum has been a game changer for Adam Gruschow, Scituate High School Music Tech I & II teacher, and grant applicant. Ableton Live is a professional level DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) that is used to produce much of the music we listen to everyday.

The Push is a performable hardware instrument that controls all the elements of the Ableton Live software running on the computer screen. Students can now easily create music on the computer, and perform on the same device. It’s enjoyable seeing how students are already developing their own preferred workflows as they create, but now they can start witnessing this in performance.

Gruschow says, “My biggest goal with the music technology courses has been to unleash musical creativity from every student. I am proud of our performing ensembles and the musical experiences they give our students, but I believe another crucial piece of a quality music curriculum exists in the creation of one’s own music. I am incredibly excited to see this portion of our program grow and to hear what students will accomplish on these instruments and software!”An additional benefit of the Ableton Push controllers is that the skills learned on these instruments are easily transferred to other software and hardware instruments for students wishing to pursue a career in music production. A Music Tech I student agreed she sees a place for it in college, “The digital format is so relevant and the skills are applicable to college or my own music production.”

MUSIC VIDEO PRODUCTION

“The act of producing a music video is, in itself, a collaborative effort which involves innovative thinking and creative problem solving,” says grant applicant and K-5 music teacher Peter Mundt. Every student participates in some way by either singing, playing, dancing, acting or running recording software. When using a “green screen” students make aesthetic creative decisions as to what backgrounds to choose to support the meaning of the lyrics or overall message of the song. Students learn that re-takes are a common part of the recording process and develop musical skills and aesthetic awareness. Mundt wants to focus on creating high quality music videos that not only teach students, using the PBL model, how to produce a video together, but is also a finished product that parents can treasure forever. A goal, that all can agree, not only supports educational innovation in the classroom but is sweet and meaningful.