Music

MARCHING CONCERT BAND      7310

-Course offered in an ALTERNATE DAY format
-Course will be offered with an ACCELERATED option
-Grades 9-12 

Marching Concert Band is open to all woodwind, brass and percussion players who are interested in developing individual and ensemble skills. Emphasis is placed on music reading, tone production, blend, balance, and phrasing. Students will perform all marching band music and develop their skill level through mainstream Concert Band literature for the remainder of the year. Students may remain in the Marching Concert Band for all four years or audition for the Marching Symphonic Band. A full rehearsal and performance schedule will be given to each student in May of the preceding year. 

*Members of the Marching Band are required to attend a pre-school band camp, after school rehearsals, and all performances. Band Camp will begin in August. 

ACCELERATED MARCHING CONCERT BAND   7410

-Course offered in an ALTERNATE DAY format
-Course will be offered with an ACCELERATED option
-Grades 9-12 

*Students interested in taking Marching Concert Band as an accelerated course will be required to complete additional higher-level work.

ACCELERATED MARCHING SYMPHONIC BAND      7325  

-Course offered in an ALTERNATE DAY format
-Grades 9-12 

The Marching Symphonic Band is an advanced level ensemble. Students chosen for this group must be able to perform the highest levels of high school band literature and must display high individual skill levels. Selection is at the director’s discretion by audition. A full rehearsal and performance schedule will be given to each student in May of the preceding year.

*Members of the Marching Band are required to attend a pre-school band camp, after school rehearsals, and all performances. Band camp will begin in August. 

CONCERT BAND     7510

-Course offered in an ALTERNATE DAY format
-Grades 9-12 

This course is designed for those students interested in playing in the band who do not wish to participate in marching band. The students will study standard band literature. Emphasis is placed on music reading, tone production, blend, balance, and phrasing. 

*The performance nature of this course requires attendance at any rehearsals and performances which are scheduled beyond the school day.

ACCELERATED CONCERT BAND   7512

-Course offered in an ALTERNATE DAY format
-Course will be offered with an ACCELERATED option
-Grades 9-12 

*Students interested in taking Concert Band as an accelerated course will be required to complete additional higher-level work.

CHORALE           7605

-Course offered in an ALTERNATE DAY format
-Grades 9-12 

Chorale is open to all students interested in developing their individual vocal and choral skills. Emphasis is placed on proper breathing, tone production, diction, musicality and music reading proficiency. A variety of suitable literature, ranging from Renaissance to Contemporary, will be studied and performed in concert. All freshmen and new members to the choir program who intend to participate in Symphonic Choir must take one year of Chorale. Students may remain in Chorale for all four years of high school. Students who wish to advance into Symphonic Choir may audition toward the end of the year. 

• The performance nature of this course requires attendance after school for scheduled rehearsals and concerts.
• Chorale rehearses monthly after school and more frequently prior to concerts.
• Participation in these rehearsals, as well as all scheduled performances, is a requirement.
   

ACCELERATED CHORALE      7607

-Course offered in an ALTERNATE DAY format
-Course will be offered with an ACCELERATED option
-Grades 9-12 

*Students interested in taking Chorale as an accelerated course will be required to complete additional higher-level work.

ACCELERATED SYMPHONIC CHOIR    7610 

-Course offered in an ALTERNATE DAY format
-Grades 9-12 

Symphonic Choir is an advanced level ensemble. Students chosen for this group must be able to perform the highest level of high school choral literature and must demonstrate high skill levels. Selection is at the director’s discretion by audition. Students will advance their individual vocal and choral skills with an emphasis on tone production, breathing, diction, musicality, music reading proficiency and rehearsal techniques. A variety of advanced choral literature, ranging from Renaissance to Contemporary, will be studied and performed in concert. 

• The performance nature of this course requires attendance after school for scheduled rehearsals and concerts. 
• The Symphonic Choir rehearses monthly after school, and additional rehearsals will be scheduled at the discretion of the director to prepare for local, national, and international events.

STRING ORCHESTRA       7805

-Course offered in an ALTERNATE DAY format
-Grades 9-12 

String Orchestra is open to all stringed instrument students (violin, viola, cello, bass) interested in developing their individual and ensemble skills. Emphasis is placed on proper bow control, tone production, intonation, and phrasing. A variety of string orchestra literature ranging from Baroque to Contemporary will be studied and performed in concert. All freshmen who intend to participate in Symphony Orchestra must take one year of String Orchestra. Students may remain in String Orchestra for four years or may audition to advance to Symphony Orchestra toward the end of each year. Symphony Orchestra performs an advanced level of high school literature, which demands advanced skill levels and a higher level of commitment. 

• String Orchestra occasionally rehearses after school in preparation for concerts.
• Participation in these concerts, as well as all scheduled performances, is required.
   

ACCELERATED STRING ORCHESTRA    7808

-Course offered in an ALTERNATE DAY format
-Course will be offered with an ACCELERATED option
-Grades 9-12 

*Students interested in taking String Orchestra as an accelerated course will be required to complete additional higher-level work.

ACCELERATED SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA      7810

-Course offered in an ALTERNATE DAY format
-Grades 10-12 

Students chosen for this group must be able to perform the highest levels of high school orchestral literature and must demonstrate high individual skill levels. Membership is open to all string (violin, viola, cello and bass), woodwind, brass and percussion students. Selection is at the director’s discretion by audition. The literature to be studied and performed will consist of the standard symphonic works, as well as lighter pop and show selections.

• The performance nature of this course requires attendance after school for scheduled rehearsals and concerts.
   

MUSIC THEORY 1    7910

-Course is offered in a FULL YEAR format
-Grades 9-12

This course provides the student with an understanding of the building blocks of music. After completing the course, students will be prepared to enter a college music theory class. Topics of study include elements of notation such as pitch and rhythm, study of the piano keyboard, the circle of 5ths, major and minor scales, and basic chord progressions in tonal music. Activities include writing music, sight-singing, aural analysis of melodies, intervals, and chords, visual analysis of intervals, chords, chord progressions, and playing scales, intervals, and simple chords on the piano.

ADVANCED PLACEMENT MUSIC THEORY       7920

-Course is offered in a FULL YEAR format
-Grades 10-12

Prerequisite: Teacher Recommendation and Successful Completion of Music Theory 1 or Teacher Recommendation and Pre-Test

This course is primarily designed for those students in grades 10-12 who have completed Music Theory 1 and desire advanced musical studies. The course will include studies in advanced harmony and analysis of musical forms and compositions. Instrumental or vocal arrangements will be performed for analysis. Students will be prepared to take the Advanced Placement Music Theory Examination.

HONORS MUSIC ARRANGING     7930

-Course is offered in a FULL YEAR format
-Grades 10-12

Prerequisite: Thorough Knowledge of Music Theory

This is a course designed to acquaint students with the skills of orchestration. Students will be required to analyze musical compositions and arrange music for various media. Students will be instructed in the usage of music notation software.

INTRODUCTION TO GUITAR     7951

-Course is offered in an ALTERNATE DAY format
-Grades 9-12

Interested in starting a garage band of your own? Introduction to guitar will get you started by learning tuning, chords, and melody playing. This is a hands-on course where you learn skills by playing songs. This course is designed for those students with less than 6 months experience on guitar. 

• Guitars will be provided or bring your own.

INTERMEDIATE GUITAR           7961
 
-Course is offered in an ALTERNATE DAY format
-Grades 9-12

Prerequisite: Successful Completion of Introduction to Guitar or Teacher Recommendation and Prior Guitar Experience

Expand your guitar skills with Intermediate Guitar. Students will concentrate on chords, hand positions, and melodic technique. Students with guitar experience may elect this course with the instructor’s approval. 

• Guitars will be provided or bring your own.

IMPROVISATION   7940

-Course is offered in an ALTERNATE DAY format
-Grades 9-12

Prerequisite: The Ability to Read Music

Learn the skills of jazz improvisation with this hands-on course. Students will develop their creative abilities by soloing over the chords used in jazz and popular music. (i.e., Gmi7, C9, Fmaj7) You will develop skills at selecting the proper improvisation scales, voicing chords, and creating bass lines. Traditional jazz literature will also be taught. Percussion players are required to double on mallets or the keyboard.

MUSIC TECHNOLOGY & STUDIO PRODUCTION      7935
 
-Course is offered in an ALTERNATE DAY format
-Grades 9-12

Music production in the 21st Century is done with music software. Get started on producing and recording music with the Music Technology course. This hands-on course teaches basic keyboard skills, live recording techniques, Wave editing, musical sequencing, virtual drumming, and film scoring. Students will develop the ability to read and notate music and arrange musical sequences using MIDI technology. 

MUSICAL THEATER           7907

-Course is offered in an ALTERNATE DAY format
-Grades 9-12

From Vaudeville to Broadway, from George M. Cohan to Leonard Bernstein, from Strike Up the Band to Wicked, American musical theater is a unique performance art. This course engages students in a variety of performance-oriented activities exploring all aspects of musical theater. It combines individual action, collaboration, teamwork and research. Students will learn how to audition, utilize the stage-singing voice, participate in stage movement and songs, analyze and critique music theater performances and perform in a series of musical theater scenes.

MODERN BAND     7970    

-Course is offered in an ALTERNATE DAY format
-Grades 9-12

In this course, student achievement will be emphasized through the participation in small group rock band ensembles. The course will introduce the skills necessary to perform on electric guitar, acoustic guitar, electric bass, keyboard, drums, and vocals. Students will develop the ability to read, notate, arrange and perform music. With an emphasis on the music styles of the last 50 years, many of these genres will be explored, demonstrated and performed by the students. The course will also foster peer to peer development in the modern band setting while encouraging each group to perform cohesively as a single unit. Students in this modern band course will also be introduced to the art of composition and improvisation. End-of-term projects will culminate with student performances.