The Lower School music & art programs provide a building block to the fine arts program here at Gateway Academy. In our elementary program, students learn the general beginning fundamentals of all vocal and instrumental music, drama, and visual arts with numerous opportunities to perform including our Christmas and Spring Concerts & Art Show. Elementary students also have the opportunity to audition for the drama production that the Middle & High School present each spring.

VOCAL MUSIC
All PreK - 5th grade students learn singing skills. At the early stages, students learn to match pitch, identify notes and interpret musical form. Students in 4th and 5th Grades have the opportunity to audition for the Girl's Honors Chorus and Boys Honors Chorus. These are auditioned students who have the ability to sing and who exemplify outstanding behavior in the classroom setting. The Choruses perform unison, two-part harmonies and rounds. The music sung consists of sacred and secular songs sung in English and other foreign languages such as Spanish, French, and German. They perform extra pieces on the Christmas and spring concerts, and they cantor weekly Lower School masses which are held every Friday morning.

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC
Basic instruments are used in the classroom setting including pitched and non-pitched instruments. All K - 5th students have the opportunity to learn notes and rhythm structure by using Orf instruments. As an added study, students in the 3rd, 4th, and 5 grades are required to play the recorder, which in turn helps them to incorporate all musical aspects into one. This instrument also teaches them about technique, including the embouchure which will be developed by the time they are eligible to play in the middle school band.

DRAMA
The idea of drama is incorporated into the elementary school music program. Students learn basic fundamentals such as gestures, facial animation, and vocal production in the classroom. 5th grade students have the opportunity to perform drama in the Lower school Christmas Program, and an opera-theatre workshop is available in the summer for more in depth study of the art.  All students have the opportunity to try out for the Spring Musical.

VISUAL ARTS
Every student in grades K – 5 has the opportunity to attend art every week.  Grades 1, 2, and 3 attend the class twice a week and grades K, 4, and 5 attend once a week.  During art students are instructed in the principles of design by creating various hands-on projects.  Students are taught fundamental elements such as line, shape, color, form, and texture through projects in the processes of drawing, painting, printmaking, pottery, sculpture, weaving, and craft.

Students in grades 4 – 5 who show exceptional ability in art are invited to join Honors Art.   This class is in addition to their weekly class and concentrates on higher level art skills and projects.

A Spring Arts Festival is held at the end of each year in conjunction with the Lower School Music program.  Each child has a piece of art work displayed representing one of their best works from the year.  From the show, 2 pieces are selected to remain in a permanent gallery housed at the school.