Musical Detective Academy (MDA) is the first project of picfest Encore.
The MDA curriculum is a three-level sequence for 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students. All levels are delivered as a 6-session residency with each one building on the last.
Details below.
The first level of MDA is a playful, fast paced series of encounters with the basics of choral singing. The end result – the students earn their Musical Detective badges and share their discoveries with their families in an Informance at the school.
The second year of MDA, Cryptology School, is a follow-up to Basic Training. It furthers development of foundational choral skills, maintaining the same style of fun, fast-paced lessons while introducing elements of note reading.
The MDA curriculum culminates in Level III where students have a true choir experience. Skill sets acquired in the first two levels are put into practice as students discover their ability to prepare a set of three pieces for performance.
By graduating a class of choir-positive 5th graders, their destination middle school choirs can be revitalized. The ultimate outcome: a healthy choral ecosystem in which students naturally discover the joy and life-changing power of singing with others.
“I like it when we match our voices to get that ringy sound.” - 2024 participant
“What an amazing program. It should be taught at every school!” - 2024 parent
“Experiencing the Music Detective Academy firsthand was wonderful. MDA is a fun, informative first encounter with choral singing. I would love to see as many elementary schools as possible have access to this program.” - 2024 collaborative classroom music teacher