We welcome Deena Martinsen from the Southwest Washington Symphony to continue our band program for the advanced band and fifth-grade music students. A generous donation from the Kirkpatrick Family Care has provided each fifth-grade student with an instrument. Advanced Band students attend class at 7:30 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Questions can be addressed to dmartinsen@strose-school.org. Music Specialist & Hand Bell Choir: Karla Dudley St. Rose has recently acquired a 3 octave set of English Hand Bells. The bells were dedicated at the December 19th Advent Program and 15 middle school students performed. Each of the 37 bells was purchased by friends and parents of St. Rose, and carries a personalized inscription. The bells will be used throughout the music department as tools to teach music skills and enhance student success. In addition to supplementary use in music classes, St. Rose offers hand bell ringing as a middle school elective class during Spring Trimester. During this class, students will learn basic music skills in addition to specific hand bell ringing techniques. The class will culminate with a performance. The class will also provide outreach opportunities for students to share their skills with local community organizations. St. Rose has established a hand bell fund as a means of providing continuing resources for music and other materials needed to enhance the program. A 3 octave set of choir chimes is desired to provide a pre-handbell training experience for lower grades. Why handbells? The administration and staff at St. Rose agree that music instruction is a powerful tool that educators can use to provide academic achievement and mental discipline. The introduction of handbells ( and hopefully choir chimes) into the existing music program has established a music learning experience for students who may not sing or play a band instrument and for students who wish to expand their music education. Studies show that there is a high correlation between music instruction and high grades or test scores. The study of music develops spatial, cognitive, and higher order thinking skills. In particular, the playing of handbells helps to stimulate critical thinking and problem solving. Handbell playing also develops hand eye coordination and motor skills which transfer to writing skills. Skills developed in music that apply to other areas include a sense of rhythm, physical coordination, motor skills, critical thinking, memory recall, listening, and logic.
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