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    YCIS Primary Students Participate in Innovative Music Programmes

    School News

    13 Feb, 2015

    10 : 00

    • Music plays an important role in the holistic model of education at YCIS Shanghai. As part of the yearly music curriculum at the Century Park Campus, Upper Primary students participate in unique and modern music classes.


      In the Year 5 Music classes, students participate in a second semester “rock band” unit, directly following the first semester “guitar” unit. Students have now created their own class rock bands, and each band has chosen a rock or pop song to which they have started learning the guitar chords and lyrics in class. All of the songs were suggested by the students, and the choices were whittled down depending on the level of difficulty until there were several that the class could vote on. Each student will soon be quizzed to show their new skills of singing the song, as well as playing the song on guitar.


      Mr Edward Swider, a Music Teacher at YCIS, oversees this innovative music programme in Upper Primary at the Century Park Campus. He says, “The children are learning these songs quickly and with a great deal of excitement! We will soon introduce drums, bass guitar, keyboard, and various other instruments to complete our Year 5 Rock Bands.”


      In Year 6, Music classes have gone digital! Classes have been using the computer application “Garageband” to write their own, increasingly-complicated and difficult compositions. They have learnt advanced layering techniques, including how to manipulate volume and panning in individual tracks, and how to create transitions. Soon, students will begin to work on some larger projects where they will create significant compositions with a song form. Later in the semester, students will have the opportunity to listen to and critique their peer’s work, while receiving feedback about their work, as well.


      At YCIS Shanghai, Primary students take weekly music classes, starting in Kindergarten. To learn more about Music at YCIS, please click here.