Instrumental Music
The Instumental Music Program continues to be very popular with Crofton Woods Elementary School students. Third, fourth, and fifth graders can participate in the string orchestra. In addition, fourth and fifth graders can join the band.
Our young musicians busily learn and practice in order to improve their musicianship and prepare for their yearly performances. It is not unusual to find "standing room only" at both the Winter and Spring concerts as well as the annual Strings Festival. Students enjoy the opportunity to display their new musical skills. Audiences are enthusiastic and complimentary. Everyone enjoys seeing the progress the musicians make as the school year moves along.
Mrs. Fussell teaches String Orchestra at Crofton, Crofton Meadows, and Crofton Woods Elementary Schools. Ms. Mancia teaches band at High Point, Crofton, Crofton Meadows and Crofton Woods Elementary Schools. Besides teaching, both Mrs. Fussell and Ms. Mancia play musical instruments professionally. Mrs. Fussell enjoys playing the violin and the viola while Ms. Mancia plays the trombone.
Chorus
At Crofton Woods Elementary, all children participate in music and in concerts. Each child has general music classes for two half hours per week. Preparation for performances takes place during general music time. The concert schedule varies from year to year.
Every year fifth graders produce a show that is completely choreographed and staged. If possible, every child in the fifth grade has a part on stage. One cast performs for the assembly for the rest of the school and the other cast does the evening performance for parents and friends.
Students in grades 1 through 5 perform for Special Friends Day. Each grade performs something special, usually a song and dance. Students use various instruments such as Native American drums, rattles and Orff instuments.
Artists in residence have been included as part of the performing arts program here at Crofton Woods. Our African residencies have been varied and include singing, games, stories, puppets, art, and dance. The music for our African programs is performed with authentic African instruments that have been obtained through grants.
Additionally, two residencies have included music from Bali, Indonesia. All our children in grades three and five have had a chance to play gamelan instruments that were over two hundred years old. We prepared for the gamelan by using bell sets and Orff instruments.
At Crofton Woods, art, music, and physical education teachers work collaboratively on productions. A cultural arts team that works collaboratively makes it much easier to create large productions.
African Trunk
Crofton Woods Elementary has received three grants donated by the Baltimore Community Foundation and the Cultural Arts Foundation of Anne Arundel County for the study of the arts in Kenya.
Part of the grant funds were used for artists in residence who worked with our students on music, dance, art, and storytelling. In addition to the artists in residence program, trunks of African artifacts, musical instruments, and social studies resources have been developed and are available for lending to other schools within the Anne Arundel County school district.
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