Kellloggsville — It was down to the last question and the group The Eight Musical Kids had decided to go all-in with their points, confident that they could correctly answer it.
“How many toe taps or beats does a half note get if the time signature is 5/4?” asked music teacher Amanda VanderMeulen.
There was a flurry of somewhat quiet discussion as group members tried to come up with the right answer of two different beats.
Alas, that team’s bet did not pay off; it would be another that walked away as victors.
The middle-school students in the band program were participating in the annual March Musical Madness, a month of activities that challenged students on their knowledge of music and musicianship.
“I still enjoyed it,” said sixth-grader Joana Ineza after the “Jeopardy”-style competition. “It was something different, and you got to test your knowledge.”
That was the point, said VanderMeulen: to change up learning as students moved from the winter months into spring.
“This time of the year things can seem a little repetitive, so instead we play games,” she said. “The students get to pick team names, and it (is) an opportunity to make it a little more exciting as we slide into spring break.”
Scale Proficiency to Teamwork
VanderMeulen created March Musical Madness about 10 years ago. Throughout March and into the start of April until the district’s spring break, students participate in various competitions such as an individual bracket series. Similar to basketball’s March Madness bracket, students test their musical scale proficiency by facing off on their instruments. Each round, they go faster through the scales until one makes a mistake. The winner advances to the next bracket level.
Other activities are the team game of P-I-G, where the first to spell the word loses; Rhythm Rally, where a type is played and students hold up a flashcard identifying it; and the Jeopardy-style game, with rounds on music language, notes and rhythm. In between rounds, students perform chants to vie for the team spirit award.
Teams can wager all, a portion or none of their points on the final question, which is usually designed to test their knowledge, VanderMeulen said.
“While it showcases their skills, it really teaches the students to work as a team,” he said. “They have to learn to work together, and that is something that is not only important in a band, but also in life.”
Winners are declared in the various games with individual medals, team trophies and bragging rights.
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