Introduction

I’ve tried to make as much information available as possible to support you in learning music this year.

Grownups, please see the information posted in the menu for support, particularly the Guide for Non-Musician Grownups. If you’d like to schedule a zoom meeting with me, please use this form. I am also always available via email at ggianutsos@schools.nyc.gov

Each week, I will post an overview of the lessons we do in class along with a link to a full lesson page, complete with pre-recorded lesson and materials, sheet music, and whatever else your child will need to complete their assignments. I created the lesson videos and materials during the 2020-2021 school year when my classes were fully remote. You’ll find sheet music for piano, which is the “native language” for the music that makes up my curriculum, and other instruments, including ukulele, recorder, guitar, on-screen, (iPad) piano, and xylophone. All of these are viable options for playing and performing in my class. There are support materials and information in the menus for all of them.

It is important for musicians to perform and to share with each other in order to collaborate and learn to analyze their playing and improve. To facilitate this, I will be using FlipGrid. I’ll include a link to each week’s grid in the assignment for each week. Students will log in to FlipGrid using their @nycstudents.net log-ins. This will begin in the coming weeks, so be on the lookout!

This year will have challenges all its own because we will not be meeting in the music room. Music class will take place in your child’s homeroom. Obviously, this limits the instruments that we can use and play in a sanitary way. While I will do everything I can to facilitate playing in class, it is very important that the children practice the songs and material at home.