The Enriching Sound of Music at OWIS Suntec

Music plays a crucial role in the well-rounded development of young learners, offering a myriad of benefits. For children as well as learners of any age, engaging with music enhances cognitive skills such as memory, attention, and pattern recognition, fostering a more robust foundation for learning in general. 

Additionally, exposure to music from various cultures broadens a child’s cultural awareness and appreciation, promoting a sense of diversity and inclusivity. The process of learning to play an instrument or participate in a choir teaches discipline, patience, and teamwork, essential skills that contribute to academic success and social harmony. 

Moreover, music provides an emotional outlet, allowing young learners to express themselves creatively and understand the nuances of different emotions. 

At OWIS Suntec, our young learners in Early Childhood and Primary School thoroughly enjoy their music lessons. We plan the music curriculum to ensure that children feel a sense of challenge and achievement in mastering age-appropriate instrumental techniques as well as feel a sense of curiosity about how cultures around the world incorporate music to evoke joy and camaraderie.

Here is a snapshot of the interesting music lessons our Suntec students have been engaged in: 

• Our students in Early Childhood 1 and 2 learned about rhythmic patterns and how to use body percussion to perform them. As part of our transdisciplinary learning approach for the Unit of Inquiry into families, our preschoolers learned about animals that live in the Treehouse family, and we explored creative movements to clap and tap out various rhythmic beats.
  
  
• Grade 1, Grade 3 and Grade 4 students have been learning to play the keyboard and  the recorder this term. They worked on establishing a strong foundation in finger technique and developing good hand coordination skills. This helped students to build finger dexterity and enhanced their fine motor skills.
  
  They have also learned to identify notes on the instruments and play songs like ‘Mary had a Little Lamb’, ‘Jingle Bells’ and ‘Happy Birthday’ with rhythmic accuracy. Towards the end of the term, students will learn to play as an ensemble and develop their teamwork skills.
  
  
• In Grade 2, students at our Suntec campus have been learning to use their voice as a primary instrument to learn rhythmic patterns and solfege notes, along with singing to a strong steady beat. Students have learned about how rhymes are used as a natural contour to write a melody in a song. In one of the music lessons, students learned to sing songs related to healthy food. Then, they worked together as a group to compose their own song with rhyming food words, such as ‘rice’ and ‘spice’, and ‘potato’ and ‘tomato’.
  
  
• During the first few weeks of the school year, Grade 5 students learned about African music. They explored instruments like the xylophone, hand drums and shekere and practised different African songs and rhythmic patterns. They also practised and performed an energetic African song called ‘Zimbole’ for International Day.

In essence, at OWIS, we have found that incorporating music into the education of young minds not only enriches their lives with a profound art form but also nurtures skills and qualities that are invaluable for their holistic development.