Ask any Trinity parent about their favorite school memory, and chances are it involves music. Maybe it’s watching their kindergartener beam with pride during their first chapel performance, or the way their third grader came home humming a song they learned that day and couldn’t stop singing at dinner. Perhaps it’s that moment during the Christmas Pageant when the entire room fell silent, captivated by children’s voices filling the chapel with wonder.
This year, we’re doubling down on something we’ve always believed: music isn’t just another subject to squeeze into the schedule. It’s one of the most powerful ways children grow as learners, creators, and members of our community. That’s why Trinity is expanding music for grades 1–5 to two days each week.
The heart of our program remains the same—those familiar rhythms of singing, moving, and making music together that have been part of Trinity for generations. But the added time gives our students something invaluable: more moments to find their rhythm, build their confidence, and discover the joy that comes from making music together.
When Reading Comes Alive Through Rhythm
There’s magic happening in Dr. White’s music classroom that parents might not expect. When she teaches a new song, she doesn’t start with sheet music or complicated explanations. Instead, she begins with what children do naturally—listening, singing, feeling the music in their bodies. Only later does she show them the notation for what they’ve already mastered.
“It’s like watching them crack a secret code,” Dr. White explains. “They’ve already sung the song perfectly, and then they see those notes on the page and realize—I can read this.”
It’s the same way children learn to speak before they learn to read words, and research shows just how powerful this connection is. When first and second graders use rhythm instruments to retell the ending of a story, they’re not just having fun (though they certainly are). They’re practicing the same sequencing, syllable awareness, and sound patterns that make strong readers.
By the time students reach fourth and fifth grade, they’re layering complex rhythms and harmonies that would challenge many adults. But because it’s built on years of joyful discovery, it never feels intimidating—it feels like play.
Studies consistently show that children who study music develop stronger reading skills and phonological awareness. At Trinity, we see this come alive every day as students who might struggle with traditional literacy tasks find their confidence through music, then carry that success back to their classroom learning.
Building Confidence One Note at a Time
Dr. White has a philosophy that might surprise some parents: she sets the bar high. “Kids don’t want to just be spoon-fed,” she points out. “They want to surprise you—and themselves. I love seeing them do far more than they thought possible.”
Watch a third-grade class layer intricate rhythms on hand drums, or see fourth graders’ faces light up when they successfully strum their first chord on the ukulele. These aren’t just cute moments—they’re confidence-building victories that ripple into every area of learning.
The beauty of music education lies in its immediate feedback. When students master a new rhythm or nail a harmony, they know it instantly. There’s no waiting for a grade or teacher approval—the music itself tells them they’ve succeeded.
Research backs up what we witness daily: music education strengthens executive function skills like attention, memory, and self-control. It builds perseverance (ask any child learning an instrument about the importance of practice) and nurtures creativity in ways that serve students long beyond their elementary years.
With two days of music each week, Trinity students will have more time to work through challenges, build on successes, and discover abilities they never knew they had.
Finding Your Voice in the Chorus
Perhaps the most beautiful thing about music at Trinity is how it weaves our community together. From the Christmas Pageant that fills our chapel with candlelight and children’s voices, to delighting grandparents with old favorites at Grandparents’ Day, to the joyous chaos of our Mardi Gras second line—music creates the soundtrack to our shared memories.
But it’s not just about the big performances. Every week in chapel, different grades take turns leading offertory music. Watch a shy kindergartener stand tall as she helps her class sing for the whole school, or see fifth graders guide younger students through a familiar hymn. These moments teach children that their contribution matters, that they have gifts worth sharing.
When children make music together, they learn lessons no textbook can teach. Every voice counts. Every part has purpose. Working together creates something bigger and more beautiful than any of them could make alone.
Research confirms what Trinity families witness firsthand: music education builds social connection, empathy, and emotional intelligence. Children who sing and play together don’t just learn about rhythm and pitch—they learn what it feels like to truly belong.
The Sound of Growth
By expanding music to two days per week, we’re amplifying something that’s always been true at Trinity: when children are known, loved, and given room to discover their gifts, remarkable things happen.
More time means more opportunities for students to build skills without pressure, to stretch their abilities with support, and to share their voices more fully in the life of our school. It means room for the kind of musical moments that become treasured memories—the day a quiet student volunteers to sing solo, or when an entire class achieves perfect harmony for the first time.
“With two days a week, students can feel the momentum,” Dr. White reflects. “There’s time to really dig deep, to try new things, to build on what we started the day before.”
At Trinity, we’ve always believed that education should nurture the whole child—mind, body, and spirit. Music does exactly that, creating pathways for learning that engage every part of who children are.
When we make music together, we don’t just create beautiful sounds. We create belonging, build confidence, and remind each other that every voice has value. And that’s a lesson worth singing about.
Ready to see how your child’s voice can find its place in our Trinity chorus? Schedule a visit and discover the joy of learning in a community where every child is known, celebrated, and supported to shine.