Art & Music

Art and Music Enrichment

Marquez has many activities that enrich the basic instructional program.  All students benefit from the music, art, library and physical education enrichment programs sponsored by Friends of Marquez.

Offering art and music classes in addition to the required academic ones offers a well-rounded education.  In addition, a study by the Imagination Project at UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies shows that time spent singing, dancing and experimenting with art can drive up test scores.  Data indicates that students involved in the arts do better in school than those that aren’t involved.

Enrichment classes also help to reduce class size by sending half of a classroom to enrichment at a time.  Last year we were able to reduce classroom size 4x/week in the upper grades and 1x/week in the primary grades, where class size is already much lower.

In our efforts to provide a quality, well-rounded curriculum, the Curriculum Committee has developed a list of two musicians and two artists students will learn about at each grade level throughout the course of each school year.  With the help of students and parents, teachers collect books, music, art and biographical information on the artists designated for the grade level.  Teachers play the artists’ music during the school day, display art throughout the class-room and help students to develop a deeper appreciation for music and art.  The artists/musicians for each grade level were chosen to relate easily to the existing science or social studies curriculum.

In addition to this classroom instruction, Friends of Marquez pays for additional music and art instruction taught by music and art professionals.  Our music teacher, Mr. Harrison (whom we wrote about in December), regularly visits first and second grade classrooms and teaches students about different instruments and the basics of musical notation, including musical symbols, note value and rhythm.  The Marquez Instrumental Music Program offered through the Children’s Music Workshop is a pull-out program open to students in grades 1-5 who register.  Classes are offered for 30-40 minutes each Monday during regular school hours.  Students leave their regular classroom at the assigned music time to take their lesson.  Orchestra students must maintain their academics or they will not be allowed to participate.

Fifth graders learn and perform three historical musicals during the school year (which we also wrote about in December).

Marquez students enjoy a Studio Art program which complements and enriches the art curriculum in the classroom.  Students visit the Art Studio for instruction from an art professional who introduces them to different techniques and media such as drawing, perspective, 3D sculpture, clay, collage, watercolor, sumi painting and portraiture.  With each class, the students are given an Art History lesson and examples are drawn from distinguished artists and various cultures.

Join The Orchestra

Learn more about instruments and or school music program. Classes at school begin at the beginning of the year. So sign-up online at www.jointheorchestra.com

• STRINGS: Violin, Cello

• WOODWINDS: Recorder, Flute, Clarinet, Alto Sax

• BASS: Trumpet, Trombone