Music

​Hello Birch families! I’m Patrick Blim-Hockberger, but you probably know me as Mr. B! I have been teaching K-5 general music at Birch since 2022. I am a husband, dog parent, runner, board game designer, and of course a musician.

I have the best job in the world. Whether we're learning about people and music from around the world, or practicing design thinking through creating music for video games or Spotify, my goal is always the same: to draw from my career as a musician to design experiences that educate and engage, and most importantly, to build strong relationships with every child and make a positive impact on their lives.

 Music Links

Curriculum

The Boulder Valley Music Curriculum provides the foundation for quality music instruction for students and represents the core program for which all schools are accountable. The Boulder Valley Academic Standards in music are the topical organization of the concepts and skills all Colorado students should know and be able to do throughout their preschool through twelfth-grade experience.

1. Expression of Music - The expression of music is the demonstration of human thought and emotion through the medium of performance, which is a product of knowledge and skills gained in the study of music.

2. Creation of Music - The creation of music is the demonstration of learned skills in the composition, improvisation, and arranging of music. Creating music involves writing music, fashioning new music from an existing piece of music, or forming an entirely new piece of music.

3. Theory of Music - The theory of music is the understanding of the distinctive language, conventions, mechanics, and structure of organized sound. Investigation of music theory allows for a more complete understanding of all aspects of the musical process, including musical performance and composition.

4. Aesthetic Valuation of Music - The value of music focuses on the knowledge needed to make an informed evaluation and to provide a well-thought-out critique about a musical piece. It also addresses the beauty, heart, and soul: the aesthetics of music. Valuing music will permit individuals to distinguish between a scholarly and an individual judgment of music.