Instructor's email address: Darla O'Bryant  

Welcome to Music!

Hello! I’m Ms. O’Bryant, the music teacher at Hillside Academy. I earned my Master’s degree in Music Education from Southern Methodist University and my Bachelor’s degree in Piano Performance from Dallas Baptist University. With more than 21 years of experience teaching elementary music, I believe every child has the ability to grow, create, and experience success through music.

My goal is to provide a classroom where students feel encouraged to sing, move, play instruments, create, and discover music in a fun, engaging, and supportive environment. I love watching students build confidence, work together, and develop a lifelong appreciation for music.

Music at Hillside Academy

Students attend music class once each week for 50 minutes as part of Hillside Academy’s International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme (PYP). Through inquiry-based learning, students explore musical concepts such as rhythm, melody, harmony, dynamics, form, and expressive performance using singing, movement, classroom instruments, listening activities, composition, and musical games.

Music is more than learning songs—it is an opportunity for students to think creatively, solve problems, collaborate with others, and make connections to the world around them. Through the IB PYP framework, students explore music from a variety of cultures while developing the attributes of the IB Learner Profile, including being caring, reflective, open-minded, and knowledgeable.

The music curriculum follows the Garland ISD Fine Arts curriculum and the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), providing students with a well-rounded foundation in music while nurturing creativity, curiosity, and self-expression.

I look forward to sharing the joy of music with every Hillside student and partnering with families to make this a wonderful year of learning!