SWBOCES Music Program enriches student learning

The school year is off to an exciting start for students in Music Teacher Andrew Ruoti’s classes.

To highlight National Hispanic Heritage Month, middle school students at Irvington and Rye Lake Campus learned Latin American rhythms while playing such Latin American instruments as the conga, bongos, maracas, claves, and guiro, and worked together as a small percussion ensemble. They have worked on playing multiple rhythms while maintaining correct timing as a group over the steady beat.  

Meanwhile, students at St. Matthew’s School learned about rhythm and melody while singing and playing the Boomwhackers, which are color-coded, pitched tubes as a group to the song “Count On Me” by Bruno Mars.  Students work together as an ensemble and apply their understanding of rhythm and melody to their performance. They also enjoyed various percussion instruments as well as color-coded desk bells. Students are working on Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy,” “Lean On Me,” and “Happy,” among other pieces. They hope to enjoy live performances this school year! 

Middle School and High School students of Irvington and RLC also are contributing to the “Count On Me” song project on vocals, bass guitar and digital drums via web-based software. They have formed an ensemble on these instruments as well as the ukulele, acoustic and electric guitars, and keyboard. The students are learning how the instruments connect with the digital aspects of music and are working on their own original music using the same software.

Since the start of October, the students have journeyed deeper in their understanding of these elements as they begin units on the keyboard and guitar. They will continue to read music on the grand staff.

While teaching to the NYS Learning Standards for the Arts, Mr. Ruoti has highlighted the importance of music as a vehicle for self-expression to empower the students to communicate their feelings through the arts. This is a major aspect of his teaching philosophy and approach.

His classes will continue this year to develop the SWBOCES chorus and band at Irvington, St. Matthew’s and Rye Lake and look forward to collaborating with staff on planning performance opportunities.