Upper School Music

Music Appreciation (Elective)

This course is designed to give students a broad overview of Classical Music from the Baroque Period through the Modern Period.  It will include exploring a broad spectrum of music through listening, studying the music and its composer through history, as well as learning the basics of reading music and building a music vocabulary.

Band I-IV (Elective) (1 credit) Approval by instructor

This course will provide each student the opportunity to be creative, regardless of skill level.  It will fuse music appreciation with musical performance, bridge the chasm between hobbyists and a lifelong companion and develop a lifelong love of music and an ability to participate in making music.  Students are expected to practice daily outside of class.   Students enrolling in this course will develop the basic skills and knowledge necessary to perform music alone, in small sections, and in large ensembles. Ensembles will be made up of the musical instruments commonly found in bands. A variety of band

literature, written at appropriate performance grade level, will be practiced, rehearsed, and performed. Attending and performing in required school music programs is compulsory. Participation in these music programs may occasionally involve evening or weekend performances. After-school music rehearsals are scheduled as needed.

Orchestra I-IV (Elective) (1 credit) Approval by instructor

This course will provide each student the opportunity to be creative, regardless of skill level.  It will fuse music appreciation with musical performance, bridge the chasm between hobbyists and a lifelong companion and develop a lifelong love of music and an ability to participate in making music.  Students are expected to practice daily outside of class. Students enrolling in this course will develop the basic skills and knowledge necessary to perform music alone, in small sections, and in larger ensembles. Ensembles will be made up of the musical instruments commonly found in an orchestra. A variety of orchestral literature, written at appropriate performance grade level, will be practiced, rehearsed, and performed. Attending and performing in required school music programs is compulsory. Participation in these music programs may occasionally involve evening or weekend performances. After-school music rehearsals are scheduled as needed.

Chorus I-V (Elective) (1 credit) Approval by instructor

This course will provide each student the opportunity to be creative, regardless of skill level.  It will fuse music appreciation with musical performance, bridge the chasm between hobbyists and a lifelong companion and develop a lifelong love of music and an ability to participate in making music.  Students are expected to practice daily outside of class. Students enrolling in this course will develop and refine the basic skills and knowledge necessary to sing music alone, in unison, and in parts. A variety of choral literature, written at appropriate performance grade level, will be practiced, rehearsed, and performed. Attending and performing in required school music programs is compulsory. Participation in these music programs may occasionally involve evening or weekend performances. After-school music rehearsals are scheduled as needed.

Jazz Band I-IV (Elective) (1 credit) Approval by instructor

This course will provide each student the opportunity to be creative, regardless of skill level.  It will fuse music appreciation with musical performance, bridge the chasm between hobbyists and a lifelong companion and develop a lifelong love of music and an ability to participate in making music.  Students are expected to practice daily outside of class. Students in this class will study the techniques and musical literature of the jazz field in order to develop and refine the stylistic traits and improvisational techniques

needed to perform a wide variety of jazz and swing. This class is offered to students who play saxophone, trumpet, trombone, percussion, piano, guitar, string bass, or electric bass. Attending and performing in required school music programs is compulsory. Participation in these music programs may occasionally involve evening or weekend performances. After-school music rehearsals are scheduled as needed.