Emerson's Music Program

Emerson is one of the few elementary schools in the district to offer music to all 1st through 5th graders. 1st through 3rd graders receive music once a week in a beautiful, spacious music room where we have lots of room for movement and playing instruments. Our 3/4-combo class has music twice a week with stronger emphasis on recorder and Orff instruments. The 4th graders are in the chorus/music exploration class this year rather than starting band and orchestra instruments due to the district's budgetary restraints. The 5th graders that played a band or orchestra instrument last year continue their studies. The 4/5 combo classes meet twice a week.

We have many performances to be proud of! Members of our band, orchestra and chorus participated in the Cazadero Jumpstart Retreat in October at the Cazadero Performing Arts Camp in the redwoods. The students put on a splendid performance on the final afternoon of their weekend retreat. All grade levels and ensembles will be featured in the Winter Concert on December 17th. We will also be participating in the Youth Arts Festival performance in March/April and in a Spring Concert in May. We hope you will be able to join us to hear our fabulous, talented Emerson students perform!

Emerson also participates in the award winning Berkeley Symphony Orchestra Music Education Program – one of three U.S. winners of the 2003 Bank of America Awards for Excellence in Music Education, sponsored by the American Symphony Orchestra League. The two other recipients of the awards are the New York Philharmonic and the Tucson Symphony.

The program provides an intensive, multi-visit program built around two concerts. The program includes teacher training, two classroom visits by an orchestra musician, extensive classroom activities, the introductory "Meet the Symphony" concert, and the culminating "I'm a Performer" concert in which every student performs alongside the professional musicians.

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