Strings
Learning to make music on a violin, viola, or cello is an inspiring challenge for children. These instruments make it possible for anyone to create music and are especially good for playing together! The learning process calls for intense concentration, critical thinking, coordination, cooperation, and artistry. The teaching of these instruments is at the core of our program, and we believe that learning together as a group is a great way for kids to learn many important skills for their whole life.
Choir
Everyone loves to sing! The choir program at BMA is very popular, with a mix of songs in many styles, especially classical, world music, and folk songs. Students learn much more than lyrics as they practice using their voice and their breathing together with classmates to make well-tuned music in harmony. They learn to read notes and sing new music just by looking at it. Our choristers are very proud of their accomplishments!
Orff Musicianship
The Carl Orff approach to music education emphasizes cooperation, artistry, and creativity. Using percussion instruments from hand drums to xylophones, the Orff approach makes a world of music that is fun and easy to use for kids. They can create patterns and make up their own music to play together. For BMA, the Orff component teaches our students many of the basic music skills that are the foundation for all our classwork together.
Orchestra
For BMA, the orchestra is a vital part of our vision. Even our newest BMA Senior students participate in orchestra, playing simple songs together and learning to work as a team. The orchestra teaches our players to think with their classmates around them and join the rest of the group in making music. As our students advance, they take on more difficult and impressive pieces, but the nature of the orchestra means that it is always a team effort.
