I am thrilled with the opportunity to offer music instruction to all the elementary school students in the West Covina Unified School District. I visit each of our eight elementary schools once every two weeks, where I teach standards-based music classes to all grade levels Kindergarten through sixth. By the end of the school year, each of the elementary students in our district will have received fifteen music classes.

The classes vary according to grade level, of course, but all students learn about a new composer each month, and hear selections by that composer. All students learn about the basic elements of music, including rhythm, tempo, melody, pitch, and tone. Students learn about the four families of the orchestra (brass, woodwind, percussion and string,) as well as instruments from different places and cultures around the world. They have the opportunity to use instruments that I bring to the schools, and even to create their own! All students learn about folk tales and songs from diverse cultural groups in and out of the United States. Finally, all students learn about the art of performing music, with frequent opportunities to demonstrate what they have learned to their classmates and teachers.