The School Music Program

We at Saint Mary School place a heavy priority on our arts programs and we want to tell you more about our excellent music and theater program. 

Each grade from preschool to eighth grade gets a comprehensive music education at Saint Mary's. Mr. Butts tailors each class distinctively for the audience as preschool through third grades play games, learn singing and movement while investigating instruments like frame drums, tambourines, and bells. Third and fourth grade students begin learning recorders. In fifth grade, students have the opportunity to begin acting and playing in the fifth grade play, which really gives them a taste for being in future productions. In the higher grades, sixth thru eighth, students are exposed to the history of world and western music as well as an understanding of music theory and varied genres of music.
 
TheaterWorks, SoundWaves Band, Choir, and Private Lessons
Mr. Butts, with the help of co-director Kate Anderson and set-designer Anthony Gambale, also runs the TheaterWorks program which produces three major productions per year.

With TheaterWorks, students have opportunities for acting as well as to play instruments in the SoundWaves Band, do set-design, as well as crew responsibilities including sound, lighting, and special effects.

The SoundWaves Band has two sections: the Pit Band and the Big Band. The Pit Band accompanies the Christmas play and the Big Band performs before and accompanies our large production spring play. Both of our bands (as well as all SMS students) have the opportunity to perform in the SoundWaves Recital at the end of the year to show off their abilities on their chosen instrument. Students also have performance opportunities at the SoundWaves Cafe, a coffeehouse event offered twice in the winter. 

Starting in first grade, on-campus private lessons are available in piano, ukulele, and percussion. Upon entering third grade, students have a more diverse private lesson opportunity including wind instruments - flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, and trombone - guitar and violin. 

Saint Mary School reinforces each student's Catholic identity by including them in Mass every Friday morning. The choir, which is led by Mr. Butts, practices twice a week and performs in a weekly performance each Friday morning during Mass as well as before TheaterWorks productions and at other special events.

Want to learn more about the music program at Saint Mary School? Please visit  https://www.smsoundwaves.com.