You are not logged in. Please login or register.
Guitar chord forum - chordie → Chordie's Chat Corner → Question For ALL My International Friends
Is singing a required subject in your school system, or do y'all just like to sing? It seems to me that so many of you do it so well.
Thanks
Bill
My son has music in his curriculum, but he gets frustrated with it, as he does it as an after-school subject (so the school one is quite basic for him), I'll check if he does singing in the class as well ... here he sings one of my songs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ol3RqE0lA4 but I think it's because he's grown up with it ...
Cheers
Richard
My time as a kid in Fiji and NZ we were made to sing at school. Even though we had it at school I didnt get very good at it. When I went to school in NZ the singing was more of a group thing done maybe once a week. Over in Fiji I always wanted to go to the school my Hindu and Muslim friends went to as they were not made to sing like we were.The Nuns over in Fiji that taught us were very harsh if you were out of tune so I hated singing.
When I was in what we call Elementary School (grade 1-6) music was a required class, and I used to love singing (still do). Being a big guy with a large arch in the roof of my mouth, there's lots of volume available. But my voice quality / vocal range works best as a bass in a choir, rather than a soloist ... just ask my wife! 
Most regular music programs have now been dropped to save $$$ (so they say), but in reality our kids are getting a lot more class time with a pro-socialism agenda ... but that's another topic, and not suitable for Chordie. Many high schools still have band, but it's an optional / extra-curricular activity.
Bill
In our school in rural upstate New York, vocal and instrumental are required up til grade 6, then it becomes optional. Mot kids in our school continue. Our Band is one of the best in Central NY state. Our vocal is almost as good, they put performances on each year that are remarkable and generally rock the house. We had a quartet this year that did an acapela of the National Anthem - it was fantastic - they were invited to sing at many, many places including the League and Sectional Basketball Championships ( Standing ovations at both) We also have Jazz band, marching band and Jazz Chorus. The school also has an Apple recording studio students can use = tons of Apple computers loaded with music programs and apps - kids are in there all the time. I would also point out that our school is a small K-12 school with 3 60 students total - we are graduating 26 Seniors this year! 
the music curriculum is very important to our school and to our community.
Good topic brother!
My best to you and Dondra!
Jim
In California (during my "formative years") the Schools were well funded in the arts, and generally all round. High Schools had very good music programs and staff, but a bit difficult to get involved with unless you had come up through the school system or had developed skills through private lessons earlier..... at least in the instrumental area. Choral groups were popular and only required that you have the ability to carry a tune and take direction to participate. Concerts and productions were regular and well done.
Then we moved North into the "edge of civilization", where intramural Sports were funded, and Music not so much. There is still massive gaps in the arts due to lack of staff and funding, but the High Schools do have their Bands, and choral groups. These days supported by tuition rather than District Funding. There are 2 High Schools, 4 Middle Schools and 8 Elementary schools in town. All supported by as little as 5 Music "Teachers", with one "Band Director" bouncing between the two High Schools, and running the Music department for all of the others. They do log some miles commuting between schools !!
The Community however, has a good "base" of musically inclined folks,and between them and the Churches, most kids can have access to lessons and encouragement..... it's just not "spoon-fed" like it would be inside the School System. There are free lessons, clinics, concerts in-the-park, buskers on the waterfront, garage bands, street dances, and a few of us old hippies jammin' at the coffee houses and Pubs on any given day when the weather is not too rainy. 
in my primary school days back in the 50's we used to sing most days, especially at going home time. as it was a Welsh school we'd sing in Welsh. also at secondary school we had music classes as part of the curriculum, mainly singing (again in Welsh) and learning music notation, which i paid little attention to. when i got to 15 a classmate brought his guitar in to school and i noticed the attention he got form the opposite sex, so when he put his guitar up for sale i bought it. it lasted about a week before i over tightened the strings and broke it. i used to dream of being a singer but was kicked off the school choir for singing out of tune! no-one complains that much anymore, and subsequent better guitars that i learned to tune properly, helped me to sing in tune....most of the time.
Wow, great news. I would love to check it once.
Guitar chord forum - chordie → Chordie's Chat Corner → Question For ALL My International Friends
