Music at SFDS

In this section: Philosophy Kindergarten 1st Grade 2nd Grade 3rd Grade 4th Grade 5th Grade 6th Grade 7th Grade 8th Grade

- Curriculum
- Performances
- Ensembles
- After School Lessons
- About Our Faculty

Music instruction takes place in all K-8 grades for 30-45 minutes two times a week. Providing music education for all of our students is a defining feature of our program and sets us apart from our peer schools; we are pleased to carry on this tradition at SFDS. Here is a list of the music teaching assignments for the 2008-2009 school year

Curriculum

At SFDS, all students are musicians. They develop an understanding and appreciation of music by learning sequential concepts through active, hands-on participation. The music of many styles, cultures, and time periods is used throughout the curriculum. In addition, children are encouraged to improvise and create their own music. The materials used meet the needs of individual children by challenging gross and fine motor skills, visual and aural memory, and intellectual and creative understanding. Through speech, song, instrument playing and movement, children experience active music making. Lessons are inspired by the approaches of Kodály and Orff Schulwerk, and aligned with the nine National Standards for Music Education.

Performances

The music department is proud to offer performance practice skills as an important part of our curriculum; guests often praise our students for their poise when presenting and performing. All the children perform several times throughout the year at assemblies, talent shares, and at the evening Music Soirees. Ensemble work showcases team work, collaboration, and community. Please mark your calendars now, as we know the year can fill up quickly!

Ensembles

Instrumental Ensembles

We actively support music making outside the general music classroom. We are excited to offer mixed grade level chamber ensembles for students who have taken lessons for at least one year and will continue their weekly lessons throughout the current year. The schedule for chamber ensembles is as follows:
Tuesday:         Intermediate Guitar Ensemble (7:30-8:00)
Thursday:        Advanced String Ensemble (7:30-8:00)
                       Advanced Guitar Ensemble (8:00-8:30)
                       Intermediate String Ensemble (8:00-8:30am)

Choruses

Dolphin Singers with Ms. Linford (3rd and 4th grades):  Tuesday and Friday (8:00-8:30)

Upper School Chorus with Ms. Silva (5th – 8th grades):
                        Tuesday and Friday (7:30-8:00)

Vocal Ensemble -- a choral ensemble for students who are in grades 6-8, have at least one year of experience in chorus, and have intermediate music reading skills, with Ms. Silva: Wednesday (7:15-8:00)

After-School Lessons

Private instruction is available in violin, cello, flute, trap drum set, saxophone, clarinet and guitar. Our primary mission is to foster life-long participation in music. Click here for more information.

About Our Faculty:

Nancy Linford:
Nancy Linford returns for her second year of half-time teaching at the Day School. She holds an undergraduate degree from UC Santa Cruz in vocal performance and a masterís in music pedagogy with Kod·ly emphasis from Holy Names University. Before coming to the Day School, she taught elementary vocal music first in Hayward and then in Piedmont Unified for fifteen years combined. On days she is not at SFDS, Nancy also works with the Piedmont Choirs, as director of the girlsí intermediate level of their training department and at Mulberry Tree Preschool in Moraga as a music specialist. She has served on the board of the Northern California Association of Kod·ly Educators for 17 years, currently as President.

Jane Rinard :
This is Jane Rinardís fifth year teaching music at the San Francisco Day School, and her eighth year teaching music in the Bay Area. In addition to teaching full-time at San Francisco Day School. She conducts "Allegra", one the training groups of the Peninsula Girls Chorus. She holds a Masters Degree in Music Education with Kod·ly Emphasis from Holy Names University and completed her Orff Schulwerk certification through the San Francisco Orff Course. She also serves on the board of the Northern California Association of Kod·ly Educators.

Karyn Silva:
This year will be Karyn Silva's 19th year of teaching music, and her third year as music department curriculum coordinator.† She has served as a general music teacher, chorus director and band director for grades K-12 in religious, public and independent schools throughout California. Karyn earned a Masters degree in Music Education with a Kod·ly emphasis from Holy Names University and has completed Orff Schulwerk certification at Mills College in Oakland.

Recently, Karyn served as the youth choir chairperson for the Organization of American Kod·ly Educators and has completed advanced Orff Schulwerk training relating to teaching jazz concepts in the classroom. She conducts "Brava," one of the training groups of the Peninsula Girls Chorus.† In 2007, she received the ìOutstanding Music Educatorî award from the California Music Educators Association.†