Ron McBain – Music Specialist
Ron McBain began his music studies at the age of four and after Winning many competitions and performing numerous recitals and Concerts as a pianist, graduated from the Carnegie Mellon University School of Music. He has performed with many prestigious orchestras including the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, the St. Petersburg Symphony Orchestra, and the Robert Page Festival Orchestra, and in several countries including Russia, Finland, and the Czech Republic. After many years of teaching experience Ron received his certification in music pedagogy and has taught at several important music Preparatory programs such as the Carnegie Mellon Preparatory School And the St. Edmund's Academy teaching music theory, history, and General music education. Ron has worked with many children's choirs and with other youth music programs such as the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra's Fiddlestix program. He also teaches piano privately.
- The overall architecture of the Music Program at the Open School is to give the students a strong foundation in the three elements of music;
- Rhythm, harmony, and melody. The students will not only be expected to understand the relationship between the three elements, and how
- They differ between cultures and times but are able to improvise, read, Practice, and perform music conscious of the three aspects. Through
- Singing, playing instruments, and listening to music the students will Learn about and perform the different styles of music from Classical To Jazz and Pop to Eastern. The younger clusters will spend a good
- Deal of time singing and learning different musical games from Countries around the world.
- With participation from the Blue and Purple clusters, the school has formed a choir. There students will learn the basic concepts of Singing; breath control, pitch recognition, and diction (how to sing And say words properly.) The repertoire they will be singing will again include music from many cultures and eras.