“Please sit criss-cross in 5…4…3…” Lower School Music Teacher Hallie Stotler counted down in a melodious voice as Class 2 students gathered around her. “Now listen and move with me!”
Scattered throughout the colorful LS Music Room, Class 2 students began to stretch and warm up their bodies. They tapped their palms on their thighs to the rhythm of Ms. Stotler’s song, creating macro and micro beats. A few moments later, their teacher said, “Now you sing!”
The girls began to sing the tune of “Mary Had a Little Lamb” while Ms. Stotler hummed a different melody. “Do you know what I was doing?” she asked when they finished.
“I was singing the bass line,” she explained, which differs from the prominent melody and helps to provide harmonic structure for the song. “Now you sing the bass line!”
After finishing their warm up, Ms. Stotler shared that the students would continue to practice playing “Mary Had a Little Lamb” on the bells. “We’re going to be in groups of three today,” she said, “So you can help each other!”
“Please use the back of your mallettes and don’t bend them,” Ms. Stotler reminded the class. (The back of the mallette creates a softer sound so students can hear themselves while all playing various segments at the same time.)
“What’s the first note of the song?” their teacher asked.
“A!”
“And last?”
“F!”
With that, the students grabbed their bells and gathered with their group mates. “Remember, your bells should be arranged from biggest to smallest,” Ms. Stotler stated.
As the girls played, their teacher made her way around the room, listening and providing feedback. “The beginning is amazing,” she told one group. “Slow down at the end so we can play more accurately.”
“Now let’s play all together!” she announced after 10 minutes of practice. “Sit up and show me you’re ready to play!”
When finished, Ms. Stotler commended the girls, saying, “That was really strong! Now what can we do to make it even better?” The students suggested slowing down the tempo, listening to each other and staying on the same beat.
“Make sure your bells are silent when we finish so we all end the song together,” Ms. Stotler added. The young musicians breezed through the next effort, creating a beautiful sound.
To cap off this fun class, the girls swapped their bells for drums, tick tock instruments (a wooden percussion instrument) and egg shakers. Together, they played a three-part arrangement with Ms. Stotler on the bass drum. “Great job today, everyone!”
