MUSICAL SCALES

 
The purpose of the Musical Scales program is to introduce  pre-schoolers to the world of music and continue their extra-curricular involvement through the completion of their elementary education.  We begin with the three- to-nine age group and focus on stimulating their interest in music and planting the seeds of musical expression.  Through games, activities and arts, the children follow an incremental approach to learning and appreciating music.  The children progress through the various instruments and learn the basic techniques used to play them.  The Scales program goes on to the first three grades of elementary school, by the end of which the budding young performers are ready to present their talent in a musical production.
 

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL MUSIC

 
The elementary Music Scales program for the first three grades now evolves into a high level of music scale.  The purpose is to sustain the children's interest in music and enrich their fledgling talent.  The third graders will put on a musical production near the completion of that school year.  But it does not stop there.  Entering the fourth grade, students who exhibit a propensity for music are encouraged to stay with Scales.  They are afforded the opportunity to take up commanding intruments from the brass and woodwind families, while simultaneouly improving on voice and expression.  As students reach the completion of elementary school they will find that they have climbed the last step on the nascent ladder of musical achievement.  
 

ORCHESTRA AND CHORUS

 
The cultivation of musical talent is an established tradition at Mandoulides Schools.  Students in the orchestra and chorus display their gifts for music ans internal and external school activities.  As a consequence of cultivating talent, our young musicians have harvested the following awards:
 
Orchestra
2nd place - Nationals, 1998, 2001, 2004.  3rd place - Nationals, 1996, 2003
1st place - Northen Greece, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008
Chorus
1st place - Northen Greece, 2007, 2nd place - Northen Greece, 2008
 
The school's ensemble, appropriately named Sound and Color, took the show on the road in Europe last summer and stopped in Prague for The Young Prague 2008 Music Festival.  There, the school lived the improbable dream of garner the silver medal Folklore Orchestra event of the festival.  Again this year (2009), in Neerpelt, Belgium, the students duplicated their previous success with another silver in the same event.

MUSIC CDs

 
The school is proud to have captured for posterity the culmination of the best of the orchestra and chorus.  Two CDs are available for students, parents and friends to enjoy for years to come.
 
- Musical Messages:  Our first recording is a cornacopia of music from the orchestras and choruses from the elementary and junior and senior high schools.
Olympic Circles:  Stories from across the five continents are told through musical metaphor in rythmic drums, alluring lyrics and harmonious notes.  The CD is a special edition marking the Education Olympics 2004.