MUSIC at ST. ELIZABETH SCHOOL
School Music Progam
Music education begins with our youngest learners in PreSchool and continues to developmentally progress through 8th grade.
Music at St. Elizabeth School focuses on listening, singing, following rhythms and beat, and exposure to different musical styles including folk, traditional, jazz and musical theater. Throughout the school year, students have the opportunity to play many musical instruments including a piano lab, wind instruments, guitars, the xylophone, the metallophone, the glockenspiel, unpitched percussion and drums, boomwhackers and recorders. Through this process of singing, playing and listening, students are introduced to the elements of music theory, all while gaining an appreciation for music.
Music at St. Elizabeth School focuses on listening, singing, following rhythms and beat, and exposure to different musical styles including folk, traditional, jazz and musical theater. Throughout the school year, students have the opportunity to play many musical instruments including a piano lab, wind instruments, guitars, the xylophone, the metallophone, the glockenspiel, unpitched percussion and drums, boomwhackers and recorders. Through this process of singing, playing and listening, students are introduced to the elements of music theory, all while gaining an appreciation for music.
St. Elizabeth Children's Choir |
Cantor Workshops |
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Children’s Choir is an educational liturgical and musical ministry. Nearly every student who starts the program in 1st grade stays with it through 3rd grade. The choir expands from 2nd-4th grade.
Preparation is one rehearsal per week for 30 minutes before school. Rehearsals are high energy and there is a lot to accomplish and learn. Students learn music through rote repetition, movement and listening. They learn respect for each other’s gifts and talents. They learn the work of the ensemble and the collective effort of the group in service to the liturgy. We learn basics of the structure of Mass, its prayers and the absolute importance of music; the most noble of all the arts at service to praise God. The success of our Children’s Choir is found in its joyful nature. It is fun and nurtures musical expression innate in every child. Generally, this choir sings once a month for a weekend liturgy and once for school Mass. Members have sung for community events and senior events. Every child is a contributor, from the smallest voice to the strongest. Students recognize their natural musical abilities and some realize their abilities over time and practice.The ensemble develops listening skills and helps students find and know their voice. |
This program, for grades 5-8, came out of student desire to be more active in the liturgy and serve in a more individualized role. With the culture of American Idol and other popular TV shows, students were more willing to celebrate and contribute their voices as soloists and song leaders. The program reinforces the role and meaning of “cantor.” Rehearsals are a brief 20 minutes a week during the school day; a true testimony to the dedication of our student Cantors. Cantors practice a higher level musicianship in ear training, music notation, score reading and more advanced choral singing.
Proudly, many of these young students - in children’s choir and the cantor workshops - have gone far in their own musical careers. Many “graduates” of the program have had major roles in their high school and college productions. Many have gone on to pursue degrees in vocal performance and music education. Some of these students were naturally musical. |
Bell Ensembles
Children who show interest in the musicality of hand bells are invited to play seasonally and for standalone events within the hand bell ministry. Students in grades 4-8 explore basic techniques of playing hand bells and reading musical notation. Hand bell players feel a great sense of accomplishment and pride in the music they have made together. Hand bell ensembles are actually very collaborative by nature. Players develop a deep trust of their own skills and rely heavily on the skills of other members. Besides the joy of creating the magical sound intrinsic in this ensemble, ringers gain confidence in heightened listening, responsiveness and accuracy.
St. Elizabeth's
Director of Music
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Susan Adams (Ms. Susie)Susie Adams , aka “Ms. Susie” has performed liturgical music her entire life . She began accompanying Mass right here at St. Elizabeth Church at age 12 , church choirs at age 13 and accompanied her first Catholic wedding at age 13. She has directed singers, instrumentalists, adult choirs, children's choirs , accompanied hundreds of weddings, funerals and worship services of all denominations. At the core of her musical life is the music and liturgy of the Catholic Mass. More than any other experience, the Mass and its music has been the musical foundation of Ms. Susie's life.
Ms. Susie has participated in workshops and continuing education with National Pastoral Musicians and other mentoring organizations. Formative and invaluable is her formal education from the Kansas University School of Music - Piano Performance. Prior to her role as Director of Music and Liturgy with Christ the King Parish and now St. Elizabeth Parish, Ms. Susie worked for much of her adult life in radio and tv production with several ad agencies and production companies in Kansas City. Ms. Susie has enjoyed the adventure of learning, listening and collaborating with all types of musicians, growing in musical depth and understanding with each encounter - in rehearsal, in performance and in prayer. She has particularly enjoyed children's music and all the joy and fun it brings to liturgy and life. |
SCHOOL MUSIC
Instructor
Mr. Trey DeBose
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Mr. DeBose serves as St. ELizabeth School's Music Teacher and Band Director. He has over 20 years of teaching experience. Prior to arriving at STE's, Mr. DeBose was the Director of Music: Instrumental and Choir at Christo Rey High School. He is an incredibly skilled musician and plays almost 40 different instruments. He also has a band that performs around Kansas City. Mr. DeBose will bring back the STE Band along with a Drumline and summer camps for music.
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Benefits of Choir
How would singing benefit me and my family? The 13 most important reasons for singing in a choir...
- Is an easy way to make new friends and feel a part of a group while providing a greater understanding of self and others.
- Provides an increased level of socialibility.
- Increases the ability to focus for prolonged periods of time relative to the group.
- Increases the abiilty to delay gratification and control inhibitions.
- Is therapeutic; rehearsals become a time when singers can put aside, for a while at least, the other pressures and concerns of the day.
- Provides musical memories that can take you momentarily out of difficult situations by calling to mind a beautiful music and poetry.
- Gives members a sense of pride, an appetitie for achievement and self-worth.
- Instills beneficial posture and breathing techniques.
- Helps develop better habits of good enunciation and strenghtens listenting skills.
- Reminds choir members that there are no shortcuts to excellence.
- Teaches a historical perspective through music and texts written during various periods of history, especially liturgical forms.
- Reminds us of the positive impact a dedicated group can make beyond that which is possible for an individual.
- Conveys that leadership, demeanor and good attitude make a significant contribution to the success of a group.
