Why is Music Important to the Friends Academy Experience?
Music is considered “the universal language,” and that’s how it’s taught at Friends – from reading, writing, and performance to exploring how music shapes our lives and the world. Through music, students practice important language and life skills such as collaboration, improvisation, communication, confidence, and seeing their progress over time.
As early as the Farmhouse, students attend regular music classes, where they begin to develop a foundation in music through singing, listening, and movement. Progressing through Lower School, students learn how to read, perform, and write music, as well as explore musical storytelling and the role of music in various cultures and traditions.
Beginning in fifth grade and continuing through Middle School, students dig deeper into how music has influenced history and continues to make an impact. Faculty work with music teachers to weave the influence of music into academic lessons about social studies, language arts, and more. In addition to deeply studying elements of music including rhythm, melody, and harmony, our older students learn how to use digital tools such as GarageBand to write songs, record and edit podcasts, and document their learning.
Meet the Music and Drama Faculty
The Performing Arts faculty at Friends Academy includes two music specialists. They get to know each child personally and work together with classroom teachers to include art as part of a comprehensive, interdisciplinary education.
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Tanner McMullen
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Putnam Murdock
News & Stories About Performing Arts
Events
March 27, 2026
FA Student Artists Showcase Works at New Bedford Museum
Third, fourth, and fifth grade students can tell you what it’s like to see your artwork on display at a museum! Read More
Events
March 25, 2024
Seventh and Eighth Graders Sparkle in “Frozen Jr.”
Seventh and eighth graders put on three spirited performance of Frozen earlier this month. Watch the full evening show. Read More
Events
November 27, 2023
Fifth and Sixth Graders Fly High in “Peter Pan, Jr.”
Congratulations to the cast and crew of Peter Pan, Jr. on three wonderful performances! Watch the full evening show. Read More
Music Curriculum
Early Childhood
- Develop a foundation in music through singing, listening, chants, movement, and improvisation.
- Learn about musical traditions of the world and the role of music in various holidays and cultures.
- Identify characteristics of music by ear.
- Develop singing skills such as pitch matching, melody, and round singing.
- Practice songwriting skills.
Kindergarten
- Develop a foundation in music through singing, listening, chants, movement, and improvisation.
- Learn about musical traditions of the world and the role of music in various holidays and cultures.
- Begin to introduce musical notation through rhythms.
- Identify characteristics of music by ear.
- Develop singing skills such as pitch matching, melody, and round singing.
First Grade
- Explore musical creativity through a variety of music from multiple cultures, genres, and styles.
- Discover reading and writing music.
- Continue to develop aural skills through vocal rhythmic and tonal improvisation.
- Learn about musical traditions and the role of music in various holidays and cultures.
Second Grade
- Take a tour of musical styles from various cultures and composers.
- Develop skills in reading and writing music.
- Improvise both tonally and rhythmically.
- Develop part singing skills.
- Learn about musical traditions and the role of music in various holidays and cultures.
Third Grade
- Discover the role of music and lyrics in our lives, including musical storytelling.
- Learn to improvise using xylophones.
- Develop skills in instrument playing and reading notation by using classroom instruments such as drums and xylophones.
- Continue to sing in multiple parts.
- Learn about musical traditions and the role of music.
- Develop note reading skills.
Fourth Grade
- Develop functional musicianship skills.
- Learn to read sheet notation.
- Explore arrangement of music.
- Read traditional notation in multiple clefs and meters.
- Learn the basics of piano, including stepwise and skipping melodies, playing melodies by ear, reading lead sheet notation, and accompaniment of a pop song cover.
Fifth Grade
- Explore themes of freedom and independence in music, digging deeply into Samba Reggae as a foundation for music studies.
- Focus on rhythm, including writing and performing rhythms on drums as well as listening to and reflecting on the effects of a “good beat” in music.
- Study a through-line artist’s use of music to communicate messages.
- Use GarageBand to create original music on MacBooks.
Sixth Grade
- Focus on a number of musical leaders and how they used their influence to inspire nations, create change, and become part of the fabric of history.
- Write and perform melodies and study motifs and themes to understand how the melody of a song tells a story.
- Maintain music reading and piano skills.
- Introduce GarageBand as a means to write, record, and document musical learning.
Seventh Grade
- Study harmony and chord progressions, developing an understanding of how harmony resembles a language.
- Using GarageBand, begin to recognize the tendencies and purposes of chords while also challenging conventions and embracing unique forms of expression.
- Hone music reading skills and gain a deeper appreciation for reverb, compression, automation, equalization, panning, and volume control.
Eighth Grade
- Investigate how music can generate impact in a global society by researching a protest-oriented song and recording an informational podcast about it.
- Explore the significance of music, both as a standalone art form and through fusion with other media, using GarageBand to compose a film score that imparts emotion.
- Learn the art of stating, repeating, and developing motifs, from constructing bass lines to writing verses to creating captivating melodies.