Music Appreciation A is designed for non-musicians and develops the art of perceptive listening and performance in musical composition through experiential activities. Lectures and experiential learning will cover the instruments of the orchestra, composers, performance practice, musical composition techniques, major compositions of the era, baroque, classical, romantic and 20th century eras, and Broadway musicals. Students will have practice in playing instruments, creating, listening to, analyzing, and describing music. They will evolve specific criteria for making informed critical evaluation of the quality and effectiveness of performances and compositions. Students will identify, explain and perform stylistic features of a given musical work. This is an introductory level course, meeting three times per week with extensive participation in musical activities, class projects, demonstrations and live performances.
Musica del Caribe
Students will delve into Caribbean music for one semester in this advanced Spanish course designed for students who wish to improve their Spanish and cultural awareness. Genres include salsa, son, merengue, bachata, rumba, latin jazz, and cumbia. Through music, students will better understand the beautiful culture, complex history, and powerful influence of Caribbean people from Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Colombia. Students will learn to recognize styles and instruments, break down song lyrics, watch films like Buena Vista Social Club, and read related literature like stories by Gabriel García Márquez. Themes of the music include love and friendship, religious syncretism, political resistance, baseball and fútbol, and racial, geographic, and national identities. Students will experience artists like Bomba Estereo, Carlos Vives, Celia Cruz, Afro-Cuban All Stars, Gloria Estefan, Tito Puente, Juan Luis Guerra, Sara González, and Prince Royce. Students will create and dance to different Caribbean rhythms. Students are asked to go see a live concert and report back on their experience. Students do not need a background in music to take this course. In order to immerse students, the class will be conducted in Spanish and students are expected to speak Spanish in class.
*This class will be offered pending adequate enrollment.
Orchestra 1A
An audition is required to participate. Auditions are held at the beginning of Fall Semester, and again in December for the following Spring Semester. Students develop technical mastery in all aspects of ensemble playing, including tone production, intonation, rhythmic execution and musicianship. Orchestra performs works from the baroque, classical, romantic and 20th century repertoire from MENC grades 4-5, and will perform at the CMEA festival in the spring.
This course is offered outside of the 9:00 am – 2:45 pm school day, offered after school/evenings ONLY. Meets 1 evening per week, plus performances.
First Semester Taken: Orchestra A (6521)
Second Semester Taken: Orchestra B (6522)
Subsequent Semesters Taken: Orchestra C (9803)
Orchestra 1B
An audition is required to participate. Auditions are held at the beginning of Fall Semester, and again in December for the following Spring Semester. Students develop technical mastery in all aspects of ensemble playing, including tone production, intonation, rhythmic execution and musicianship. Orchestra performs works from the baroque, classical, romantic and 20th century repertoire from MENC grades 4-5, and will perform at the CMEA festival in the spring.
This course is offered outside of the 9:00 am – 2:45 pm school day, offered after school/evenings ONLY. Meets 1 evening per week, plus performances.
First Semester Taken: Orchestra A (6521)
Second Semester Taken: Orchestra B (6522)
Subsequent Semesters Taken: Orchestra C (9803)
Orchestra Advanced A (Honors Strings)
Important Arts Department Information
This is Honors Strings for which an audition is required to participate. Auditions are held at the beginning of Fall Semester, and again in December for the following Spring Semester. Students develop technical mastery in all aspects of ensemble playing, including tone production, intonation, rhythmic execution and musicianship. Honors Strings performs works from the baroque, classical, romantic and 20th century repertoire, and will perform at an adjudicated festival in the spring while on the annual orchestra/band trip. In the fall semester students audition for All-State & CODA Honor Orchestras.
This course is offered outside of the 9:00 am – 2:45 pm school day. Meets Mondays 3:15-5:15pm and Tuesdays 8-8:50am, plus performances.
First Semester Taken: Orchestra Advanced A (?)
Second Semester Taken: Orchestra Advanced B (?)
Subsequent Semesters Taken: Orchestra Advanced C (?
Orchestra Advanced B (Honors Strings)
Important Arts Department Information
This is Honors Strings for which an audition is required to participate. Auditions are held at the beginning of Fall Semester, and again in December for the following Spring Semester. Students develop technical mastery in all aspects of ensemble playing, including tone production, intonation, rhythmic execution and musicianship. Honors Strings performs works from the baroque, classical, romantic and 20th century repertoire, and will perform at an adjudicated festival in the spring while on the annual orchestra/band spring trip. In the fall semester students audition for All-State & CODA Honor Orchestras.
This course is offered outside of the 9:00 am – 2:45 pm school day. Meets Mondays 3:15-5:15pm and Tuesdays 8-8:50am, plus performances.
First Semester Taken: Orchestra Advanced A (?)
Second Semester Taken: Orchestra Advanced B (?)
Subsequent Semesters Taken: Orchestra Advanced C (?
Orchestra Advanced C (Honors Strings)
Important Arts Department Information
This is Honors Strings for which an audition is required to participate. Auditions are held at the beginning of Fall Semester, and again in December for the following Spring Semester. Students develop technical mastery in all aspects of ensemble playing, including tone production, intonation, rhythmic execution and musicianship. Honors Strings performs works from the baroque, classical, romantic and 20th century repertoire from MENC grades 4-5, and will perform at an adjudicated festival in the spring while on the annual spring trip. In the fall semester students audition for All-State & CODA Honor Orchestras.
This course is offered outside of the 9:00 am – 2:45 pm school day. Meets Mondays 3:15-5:15pm and Tuesdays 8-8:50am, plus performances.
First Semester Taken: Orchestra Advanced A (?)
Second Semester Taken: Orchestra Advanced B (?)
Subsequent Semesters Taken: Orchestra Advanced C (?
Orchestra C
This is the symphonic orchestra for which an audition is required to participate. Auditions are held at the beginning of Fall Semester, and again in December for the following Spring Semester. Students develop technical mastery in all aspects of ensemble playing, including tone production, intonation, rhythmic execution and musicianship. Orchestra performs works from the baroque, classical, romantic and 20th century repertoire from MENC grades 4-5, and will perform at the CMEA festival in the spring.
This course is offered outside of the 9:00 am – 2:45 pm school day. Meets 1 evening per week, plus performances. (Fall: Mondays 2:45-5:00-pm/Spring: Mondays 6:00-8:30pm)
First Semester Taken: Orchestra A (6521)
Second Semester Taken: Orchestra B (6522)
Subsequent Semesters Taken: Orchestra C (9803)
Pep Band 1A
This course is open to all wind, brass, and percussion students. It will include a variety of styles and difficulties of concert band and pep band music. A cornerstone of this ensemble will be developing technical proficiency on each student’s instrument, as well as establishing a strong level of ensemble cohesion. Music of all historical periods (including 20th century and popular music), various cultures, and multiple geographic areas will be studied for performance. Students will participate in a two-week band camp during August (mandatory) to prepare for football season performances. In rehearsal, students will be graded daily on their preparedness and involvement. Additionally, periodic playing tests will be given to assess progress and these are also graded with a rubric that reflects the core concepts of intonation, proper fingerings/positions/sticking, correct rhythms, and overall musicianship.
This course is offered during 0 period. (8:00-8:45 am, Tue, Thu during fall semester ONLY) Meets 2 mornings per week, plus:
-
- 8 home football & volleyball games (and playoffs, if applicable) for the FALL semester
First Semester Taken: Pep Band A (6538)
Second Semester Taken: Pep Band B (6539)
Subsequent Semesters Taken: Pep Band C (9818)
Pep Band 1B
This course is open to all wind, brass, and percussion students. It will include a variety of styles and difficulties of concert band and pep band music. A cornerstone of this ensemble will be developing technical proficiency on each student’s instrument, as well as establishing a strong level of ensemble cohesion. Music of all historical periods (including 20th century and popular music), various cultures, and multiple geographic areas will be studied for performance. Students will participate in a two-week band camp during August (mandatory) to prepare for football season performances. In rehearsal, students will be graded daily on their preparedness and involvement. Additionally, periodic playing tests will be given to assess progress and these are also graded with a rubric that reflects the core concepts of intonation, proper fingerings/positions/sticking, correct rhythms, and overall musicianship.
This course is offered during 0 period. (8:00-8:45 am, Tue, Thu during fall semester ONLY) Meets 2 mornings per week, plus:
-
- 8 home football & volleyball games (and playoffs, if applicable) for the FALL semester
First Semester Taken: Pep Band A (6538)
Second Semester Taken: Pep Band B (6539)
Subsequent Semesters Taken: Pep Band C (9818)