Riverside School and its librarian / music teacher Chris Bachmann had the pleasure of welcoming guest musician Steve Van Dam from Light the Music today. Light the Music developed a free app called ORO Visual Music that allows students to play and create music to enjoy an immediate music experience on their iPads that are for use in the Riverside library.
Mrs. Bachmann and Mr. Van Dam educated students about the roots of music in a hands-on session. In a hear-it-and-see-it setting, the classes are learning about the earliest instruments from the cradle of civilization, to African polyrhythms, and tracing this lineage into America, in jazz, blues and even pop music.
Through call and response and improv exercises, the students quickly learn to listen and collaborate to create music as a group.
Take a look and listen to part of the music the class made.