Divisions: Middle and Upper School
Teaches: Music, Private Music Lessons Coordinator
Miku Shiota is a multi-instrumentalist and member of the GFS music faculty. She also oversees the School's robust private music lessons program. Miku teaches Middle School strings and orchestra, and is the main piano accompanist for Upper School chorus and choir. She's often onstage at our many student concerts and assemblies. Outside of school, Miku plays violin and viola with The Divine Hand Ensemble—possibly the only theremin-led group in the world!
There are 12 teachers in the GFS Music Department and... we often bounce ideas off of each other. Sometimes, this results in course collaborations; other times, our lesson plans get enriched from creative input from our colleagues. You might see this on stage when the Jazz Ensemble accompanies a Choir performance, or when one of us shares a guest artist whose expertise can benefit multiple courses. We are a talented and resourceful bunch!
People often think of music classes as just playing an instrument or singing, but... there is so much more than that happening at GFS. Students can study World Music through listening examples and folk dancing, or they can use computer software to learn to compose music. There are opportunities to learn about Hip-Hop music and culture and how to build musical instruments. Our non-performance classes help create an awareness and an appreciation for the worldwide community of music-makers and how music is made.
Learning to play an instrument... requires patience, perseverance, and a self-awareness of one’s learning style. It develops fine and gross motor skills, and learning to read musical notation is like mastering a foreign language! Playing in an ensemble teaches students about collaboration and community, and it puts cultural and historical knowledge into practice. There are also direct connections between music and other core academic subjects, like math. All of these aspects make music education an essential part of a student’s schooling.