Lower School

Mary HatchMy name is Mary Hatch. Growing up I learned to play piano and flute and loved to sing. I had many opportunities to perform with choirs, bands, musical theater, as well as piano and voice recitals and worship leading. While pursuing my Music Education degree, I enjoyed learning to play most instruments. Currently, I am learning to play guitar. While pursuing my Master’s degree in Vocal Performance at The Boston Conservatory, I continued to refine my researching, performing and singing skills. Throughout my career, I have taught drama, music theory, and voice classes, directed children and adult choirs, and led worship in church. I have taught privately for over 20 years. It is exciting to be working in a field with two things I’m most passionate about: music and children. At PCA, in addition to teaching music to Lower School students, I also direct the Lower School and Upper School Choirs.

Lower School (Grades K – 5)

In Lower School music, a variety of instructional strategies are used to teach musical concepts and performance techniques including listening, singing, moving, acting, playing instruments, composing, drawing, journal writing and musical games. Some of the highlights of these foundational years include:

  • learning to read rhythms through use of icons, Kodály and traditional notation
  • learning pitch and melody through rote singing, numbers and Solfége
  • learning and employing the elements of music
  • creating ensembles with rhythm band, recorder, and vocal music
  • accompanying songs with Orff instruments, bells, boomwhackers and keyboards
  • growing music reading and performing skills through the Recorder Olympics and Recorder Karate programs
  • focusing on two famous composers each year through chants, stories, listening and playing their music
  • integrating music with the history studied in each grade level
  • applying Scriptural truths to classroom learning and performance

Lower School students have two performances each year – the Christmas Program and a Spring Chapel. Recent themes for Chapel included The Spiritual Lives of Composers. Students in 3rd – 5th grades have an opportunity to participate in Lower School Choir as well as audition for our Fine Arts Coffeehouse and Spring Musical. Recent Spring Musicals include Annie and The Secret Garden. In 2010, we will be performing Beauty and the Beast.