All students k-5 have music once a week.  In accordance with Stafford County, Virginia, and National Standards, our students receive music instruction in singing, instrumental playing (unpitched and pitched percussion, and recorder), movement, improvisation, music history, theory, and appreciation.  By the time our 5th graders leave Winding Creek, our students can read, write, and understand music in preparation for whatever their next step in music may be, whether it be chorus, orchestra, band, private lessons, or personal enjoyment. 

In addition to regular music class, Winding Creek has six performing ensembles for 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders.  There are three Orff ensembles, one each for 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade.  All three groups are twenty-six members strong and perform music from the Orff volumes, traditional African marimba pieces, Calypso songs, original compositions, and more using xylophones, metalophones, glockenspiels, and anything else we can get our hands on.  All parts are taught by rote and performed without music.  The ensembles’ main goal is the advancement of musical ability, while at the same time creating some really great music.  As such, members learn all parts before focusing on their own, and all pieces have at least four or five different parts.  Players change instruments from song to song.  

The 4th and 5th grade recorder ensemble begins in January.  The focus of this ensemble is music reading skills while studying traditional recorder consort music from the Renaissance.  In addition to the standard soprano recorder, students may also play sopranino, alto, tenor, and bass recorder.

There is also a 4th & 5th Grade African Ensemble, which is dedicated to studying and performing vocal and percussion music from the many cultures of Africa.  In addition to the concerts at Winding Creek, this 26 member ensemble specializes in off site performances.  Some past performances include Stafford County’s new teacher institute, the Colonial Forge High School Percussion Concert, Greenfield Assisted Living (Fredericksburg and North Stafford), the Stafford County Fine Arts Festival, the University of Mary Washington's Multicultural Fair, the Marine Corps Historic Half Marathon, the Marine Corps Runstock 5k, and the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.

The largest group at Winding Creek is the chorus, which each year averages around 120 4th and 5th grade members.  This group prides itself on performing a very diverse program of music at each concert.

***If there is a delay, rehearsal is also delayed, NOT CANCELLED.  For example, if there is a 2 hour delay, rehearsal will start at 9:50.***