• The Principal's Page
• Curriculum Overview
• Afternoons
• Events and Celebrations
• Service Learning and Partnerships
• Special Assemblies
• Mini Courses

By Jodie Brown
Music Teacher

If you've been a part of the SRV community for any length of time you've probably had the opportunity to see and hear various groups of children playing tone chimes. A practical–for–elementary–school version of hand bells, these cool little instruments are kid–friendly vehicles for learning music skills and concepts in such an engaging way that the children aren't even aware that the learning is happening. Something magical happens when a chime is placed in a child's hand and he/she immediately realizes that, with just a little bit of technique, it willingly makes a beautiful sound!

At SRV over the last few years, the use of tone chimes has expanded from being almost exclusively in the realm of the OG to being included in the Primary Circle's opera last year and again in this year's study of jazz. The 1st and 2nd graders here now know more about a 12 bar blues progression – thanks to the ease of playing chords with tone chimes – than do most of the adults I know! (It was not a big surprise when the majority of children in the two 1-2 classrooms chose tone chimes as "their" instrument when the final arrangement for their performance was being rehearsed!) Likewise, the 5th and 6th graders here are able to play very sophisticated arrangements of many types of music using tone chimes thanks to the enthusiasm they generate and the accessibility factor. Digging into a complex piece of music – because they can! – rather than playing "little kid" music increases the likelihood that the children will sustain interest and experience a deeper sense of pride in their accomplishment once the piece is learned. I can't tell you how many times I hear – upon completion of a tone chimes piece – "Can we do it again?" or "This is fun!" Ah – music to my ears!

I wish for all of you reading this an opportunity to participate in a hand bell or tone chime ensemble at some time in your life. It's not just kid–friendly, but it sure does serve as a wonderful "hook" for those children who think that they can't play a musical instrument (imagine!) as well as for those who are musically advanced. Tone chimes truly are a "best practice" of the SRV music program.