Music

One of the most unique aspects about The Gooden School is its commitment to the instrumental music program. Our music program is immersive, and students are given many opportunities not only to learn the foundational skills - such as beat, rhythm, tone, and reading music - but also to learn to play two instruments. Kindergarten through 2nd grade students learn basic skills and learn how to play  the ukulele.

Throughout their nine years at Gooden, students are exposed to 25 different instruments! In 3rd grade students have three classes per week as they explore strings, and in 4th grade the students are introduced to the violin, viola, cello, and string bass. The year begins as a strings class and ends as the 4th Grade Orchestra. When students transition into fifth grade, the class is divided into  Strings and Beginning winds. Gooden School musicians are able to choose either to continue their string instruction or begin with a wind instrument.  Wind choices include flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, baritone horn, tuba, and percussion. 
 

Our music program continues to blossom as students transition into Middle School. Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth-grade students come together to form the Band and Orchestra. The school continues to enable students to choose the instrument they would like to play and  students then have the opportunity to perform a concert twice a year. Musical performance and instruction has been essential to The Gooden School experience since the school was founded nearly 50 years ago. Children learn to think and collaborate in innovative ways, and they come to appreciate the beautiful, the exceptional, and even the ordinary as they practice together and individually.