RUSSIAN SCHOOL AND CHOIR IN GUILDFORD

Choir and Music School

Why do we consider choir and music lessons to be particularly important?

For a child growing up in a bilingual environment or learning Russian as a foreign language, it is important not only to understand the language, but also to hear it, to feel its rhythm and intonation, and to speak fluently and naturally. This is precisely why music and singing play a special role in our programme.

In Russian lessons, children learn new words and grammatical structures. But the language truly comes to life when children start to use it — speaking phrases, expressing emotions and telling stories.

And this is where the choir offers a wonderful opportunity. As they learn songs, children hear and repeat words, phrases and whole sentences over and over again. They do not memorise individual words, but rather ready-made speech patterns, their rhythm, intonation and natural sound.

Music helps them do this easily and enjoyably. Thanks to the melody, rhythm and repetition, words are easily memorised, whilst elements of drama and movement help them grasp their meaning. What might be a mere exercise in a normal lesson is transformed here into a creative activity.

There is another important aspect. Singing together helps to overcome shyness when speaking. In a group, the focus is not on a single child but on the overall sound: the children listen to one another, support one another and feel part of a team. Gradually, it becomes easier to speak, to make mistakes, to try again — and simply not to be afraid of the Russian language.