About Sandbrock Ranch Music
The 5 Cs of music at SRE are culture, communication, creativity, connection, and community. In music class, we learn skills that focus on those 5 Cs. We learn about music from many cultures that are hopefully familiar and unfamiliar to students. Students learn to communicate by performing, reading, writing, and listening to music. Students have the opportunity to create music by composing and improvising. Every child will have opportunities to understand why they may or may not connect to different music. The most important thing is that students will be engaged within a meaningful musical community.
Mr. Downey’s philosophy for music education centers two ideas. The first is that music education should empower students to express themselves, understand and empathize with others, and to engage with culture. Secondly is that “each student should be challenged and supported every day” (Dr. Alice Hammel).
At SRE, we follow an engaging and thorough musical curriculum designed to meet the goals listed above. We use solfege, rhythm syllables, singing, playing instruments, lots of games, and musical materials to accomplish these goals. As the only guaranteed musical experience in your child’s education, we aim to empower them to be lifelong lovers and learners of music.
August:
8/28: Club Permission Slips Due!
September:
9/14: Special Areas Night (6:00 pm)
October:
10/26: 4th Grade Music Showcase (6:00 pm)
November:
11/10: 3rd Grade Sings at Star-Spangled Sandbrock
December:
12/2: Choir and Instrumental Perform at Denton Tree Lighting
12/7: 5th Grade Program and Choir/Instrumental/Orchestra Performance (6:00 pm)
February:
2/15: 1st and 2nd Grade Programs (6:00 pm)
March:
3/2: DISD 5th Grade Honor Choir Performance
3/28: Choir Performs with Cheek MS Choir (6:00 pm at Cheek)
May:
5/2: Fine Arts Night Featuring Choir, Instrumental, and Dance (6:00 pm)
5/16: Choir and Orchestra Trip to NRH2O
5/20: Kindergarten Program and Promotion
5/23: 5th Grade Farewell
Sandbrock Ranch Music Calendar
Choir of Champions
The SRE Choir of Champions is the choir program at Sandbrock Ranch. The choir is open to students in 4th and 5th grades. Rehearsals are Mondays after school until 4:20 pm.
Students in the choir have the opportunity to make music with others while learning about advanced choral and ensemble skills. We sing diverse and meaningful repertoire throughout the year. Students also get many opportunities to perform on and off campus throughout the year.
The SRE Instrumental Ensemble is the 4th and 5th grade instrumental performing ensemble at Sandbrock Ranch Elementary. Rehearsals are Wednesdays after school until 4:20 pm.
Students in the instrumental ensemble have the opportunity to make music with others while learning about advanced instrumental and ensemble skills. Students also get opportunities to perform throughout the year. Students in this ensemble get to learn several different instruments.
SRE Instrumental Ensemble
SRE Music Leaders
Students at SRE have the opportunity to be Music Leaders for the school! Music Leaders are 4th and 5th grade students who are responsible for being leaders in younger grades' music classes as well as in their own music classes. These students complete a competitive interview and audition process. The students with the highest scores for BOTH musicianship and leadership are selected to be music leaders for the campus.
Differently than the other clubs, this is not a performance-based group. It is an opportunity for students to develop their musical, teaching, and leadership abilities as part of the music curriculum at SRE!
A musical highlight of each year is the opportunity for 5th graders to audition for the district-wide 5th Grade Honor Choir. Students who are interested in 5GHC submit audition recordings and, if selected, will get to represent Sandbrock Ranch at the full concert in the spring with the amazing guest musician! They will also get to participate in rehearsals for all of the Braswell Zone in the spring.
Since students in 5GHC learn some of the most challenging and exciting music of any of our school programs, they are expected to attend additional rehearsals on Tuesdays after school until 4:20 pm and to keep up with their at-home practice schedule.
For more information, please contact Mr. Downey at ddowney2@dentonisd.org.
Denton ISD 5th Grade Honor Choir
About
Mr. Downey
The Organization of American Kodály Educators' 2023 Emerging Educator, Dillon C. Downey (he/him) is proud to be the inaugural music specialist at Sandbrock Ranch Elementary School. He received the honor of being the 2024 Teacher of the Year at SRE. Mr. Downey serves as the Artistic and Administrative Director of the Denton Community Youth Choirs, which he founded. He gets to teach other music teachers at the Midwestern State University Kodály Institute, where he teaches pedagogy. He serves as the Vice-President of the Kodály Educators of Texas and is the editor for the KET journal, The Encounter. Mr. Downey has taught infants through adult and college students professionally for seven years in classroom, private, and rehearsal settings.
Mr. Downey is an alumnus of the prestigious Eastman School of Music (NY), where he earned Master of Music degrees in Music Education and Music Performance and Literature (Tenor Trombone). At Eastman, he taught aural musicianship and trombone methods. He earned the Advanced Certificate in Music Theory Pedagogy at Eastman. His undergraduate degrees in Music Education and Orchestral Performance (Tenor Trombone) are from the University of North Texas, where he graduated summa cum laude and as a Distinguished Honors Scholar.
He has presented at universities around the country as well as at state, national, and international conferences. His scholarly interests are in curriculum design, community building in music education, and brass pedagogy and wellness. As a performer, he has performed in world-famous concert halls, such as Carnegie Hall, The Meyerson Center, and the Wiener Konzerthaus. As a soloist, he has performed throughout the United States and in Austria, Germany, and the Czech Republic.
7:30-8:10 - Morning Meeting
8:15-9:00 - 5th Grade
9:00-9:45 - 2nd Grade
9:45-10:30 - 3rd Grade
10:40-11:25 - 4th Grade
11:25-12:00 - Planning
12:00-12:30 - Lunch
12:30-1:15 - 1st Grade
1:15-2:00 - Kindergarten
2:00-2:15 Planning
2:30-2:55 - Troop Time
2:55-3:30 - Dismissal
3:20-4:20 Clubs (MTW) / Faculty Meeting (Th)
Contact Me:
ddowney2@dentonisd.org
(940)304-3516
Mr. Downey’s Schedule and Contact Info