Kindergarten

• Play instruments with an awareness of beat, tempo (fast-slow), dynamics (loud-soft), and pitch (high-low)
• Play unpitched rhythm instruments and body percussion sounds (e.g.: clap hands, snap fingers, stomp feet)
• Echo short rhythms

Grades 1-2

• Play short pieces consisting of traditional and nontraditional sounds
• Play on a melodic instrument an accompaniment to a song
• Play one's own created piece on a classroom instrument

Grades 3-4

• Use classroom instruments to demonstrate the use of variety in tempo, timbre, dynamics, and phrasing for expressive purposes
• Play as a member of an instrumental ensemble with independent parts
• Indicate brass, percussion, string or woodwind instrument(s) of personal interest for study

• Begin like-instrument lessons on a brass, percussion, string, or woodwind instrument of choice
• Perform with a focused tone characteristic of the instrument played
• Perform with correct posture, breath control and hand position
• Perform musically with acceptable pitch, rhythm, articulation, phrasing and dynamics
• Perform appropriately with other students as part of an instrumental ensemble
• Follow and correctly interpret conducting gestures

Grades 5-8

Instrumental Performance - Middle

• Continue like-instrument lessons on the brass, percussion, string or woodwind instrument of choice
• Perform throughout a growing range with a focused tone characteristic of the instrument played
• Perform with correct posture, breath control and hand position
• Perform with increasing technique including chromatics and accidentals
• Perform musically with accurate pitch, rhythm, articulation, phrasing and dynamics
• Perform appropriately with other students as part of large and small instrumental ensembles
• Follow and correctly interpret conducting gestures
• Perform as a soloist or member of a small ensemble for others in classroom or performance settings
• Perform music of a higher level of sophistication

Grades 9-12

Instrumental Performance - High

• Perform throughout a growing range with a focused tone characteristic of the instrument played
• Perform with correct posture, breath control and hand position
• Perform with increasing technique music of a higher level of sophistication
• Perform musically with accurate pitch, rhythm, articulation, phrasing and dynamics
• Perform appropriately with other students as part of large and small instrumental ensembles
• Follow and correctly interpret conducting gestures
• Perform as a soloist or member of a small ensemble for others in classroom or performance settings
• Play a varied repertoire of solo and ensemble instrumental literature
• Perform arrangements and compositions written by members of the class