Music Program
Riverside School Music Program
Band – Our band coordinator, Mr. David Arezzini, invites all students in grades 4 and 5 to join the band! He conducts half hour lessons 2 days per week. These lessons rotate so students do not miss the same academic subject each week. The band performs at our two annual concerts and also at our very special community events such as Flag Day and Veteran’s Day.
Orchestra- Under the direction of Mr. Barry Hoffman, students have several opportunities to play a string instrument. Students may join in grade 3 as weekly lessons are provided to any child who is willing to practice and attend these half hour lessons. Mr. Hoffman schedules an annual concert for these young musicians.
Any student in grades 4 and 5 can continue and/or join the orchestra. Two weekly lessons are provided and at least two recitals are scheduled to showcase the progress of these students. When possible the orchestra will travel off campus to perform in local venues.
Rentals- Information regarding instrument rental is available from the music department.
Chorus- Ms. Jessica Punchatz, is our general music teacher. She also serves as the choral director for our wonderful chorus. Over 90 voices are currently involved in the program. The choral experience is open to any child in grades 4 and 5. Students are divided into two voice parts, and each part rehearses once a week, and recitals are conducted twice a year. The chorus performs at community events both on and off campus. They bring joy and cheer to senior residences at Nathaniel Witherall, and bring holiday cheer to the Town of Greenwich, when they perform at the Greenwich Holiday Walk on Greenwich Avenue. They also sing at Sound Tigers' Hockey Games and collaborate with the Reaching for the Arts Choir in New York City. This collaborative opportunity fosters team work and readies students for the exemplary choral programs at middle and high school.
We hope your child will take advantage of these great opportunities. Our highly qualified teachers, all musicians in their own right, nurture and develop the skills and disciplines needed to enhance a child’s love of music.
Riverside Rangers
Riverside Rangers - This leadership opportunity is a direct outgrowth of our ROPES social emotional learning program. Students in grade 5 are trained to be leaders in the fall of their 5th grade year. Students serve as activity leaders for special events (e.g., book fairs & assemblies). Rangers serve as greeters every morning, welcoming students as they enter the school. Rangers also facilitate morning meeting in 3rd grade classrooms. We are constantly looking for ways to encourage school-community leadership among our students and develop the norm Caring for Self and Others through peer interactions.
Riverside Reporter
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The Riverside Reporter newspaper publicizes a variety of school events from the students’ point of view. It is an integral part of the Riverside School community where students in grade 5 visit classrooms to cover live events. Reporters develop their investigative skills and fine tune their writing techniques.
Being a Riverside Reporter involves multiple skills. Reporters learn how to include the different elements of news reports into their articles including impactful headlines, paragraphs, leads and captions. To warm up their writing skills, reporters learn the value of using effective vocabulary. They revise dull reports with stronger verbs, adverbs and adjectives. Training is included on how to ask open-ended questions when interviewing students and teachers. Reporters become experts on how to accurately and reliably quote their sources, and learn how to respond to constructive feedback in a timely manner. Participating in Riverside Reporter enables students to deepen their collaboration skills, and is an rewarding experience for dedicated writers.