Performing Arts

Concert Chorus - In this course, students will study many genres of music from significant historical eras in original languages as well as musical theatre and pop. In the process of preparing music, students develop vocal technique, aural skills, elements of expression,  good rehearsal habits and stage etiquette. They experience exploring the musical language, developing music reading skills, and learning about various styles of music. The course includes participation in occasional community performances and  concerts with a few possible after school rehearsals. It is important to note that students must be enrolled in an ensemble  for the entire year in order to be eligible to audition for MMEA Northeast Districts or All-State Festivals.  Students participating in Honors Concert Chorus will enroll in the whole year and must complete one additional project, lead school sectionals/ensemble, and participate in an Honors Recital with an original or selected solo. Students electing Concert Chorus do not need to elect the honors level until the class is in session.

Chamber Choir - In this course, students develop a high level of musicianship and proficiency in an advanced, 

audition-only ensemble performance. They explore and perform a variety of choral literature, vocal techniques, and advanced sight-singing. Students perform in both accompanied and unaccompanied performances and get the opportunity to take the lead conducting the group. Repertoire can include popular and sacred songs in English,  Italian, German, French, Latin and more. Participation is  expected in community performances, festivals, and home concerts. Travel is also a possibility as part of the group. It is important to note that students must be enrolled in an ensemble for the entire year in order to be eligible to audition for MMEA Northeast 

Districts or All-State festivals.  

Concert Band - This ensemble requires rehearsing and performing in a wide variety of concert band repertoire. Class time will be spent on building a strong foundation of playing fundamentals for the individual musician and the band as a whole, as well as rehearsing concert repertoire and sight-reading. A variety of assessments may be used to determine progress and assignments. At-home practice and participation in all concerts is required. Concerts include the Fall In-School Concert with the Orchestra, January--Winter Concert, March--All Bands Night Concert, May--Spring Concert, and June-- graduation. Students must be enrolled for at least one semester in Concert band, Chorus, or Orchestra in order to be eligible to audition for MMEA Northeast District or All-State festivals.  Prerequisite: Successful completion of middle school band program or at least 3 years of private music study.  Students participating in Honors Concert Band will be enrolled for the entire year and must complete one additional project, lead school sectionals/ensemble, audition for Districts, and participate in an Honors Recital with an original or selected solo. Students electing Concert Band do not need to elect the honors level until the class is in session. 

Percussion Ensemble - This course is designed for percussionists in grades 9-12. This course focuses on music literacy and percussion performance technique. Students in this class will study and perform on all percussion instruments and be expected to read notated music accurately. Students will perform percussion ensemble music and marching percussion (drumline) cadences 3-4 times per school year at band concerts, school, and community events. Prior middle school percussion experience is preferred, but not required. Students are encouraged to enroll in this course year after year to continue to advance their performance skills and musical knowledge.  Students must be enrolled at least one semester in Concert band, Percussion Ensemble, Chorus, or Orchestra in order to be eligible to audition  for MMEA Northeast District or All-State festivals. Students participating in Honors Percussion Ensemble will be enrolled for the entire year and must complete one additional project,  lead school sectionals/ensemble, audition for Districts, and participate in an Honors Recital with an original or selected solo.  Students electing Percussion Ensemble do not need to elect the honors level until the class is in session. 

Orchestra - The Andover High School Orchestra rehearses during the school day in the Andover High School Band/Orchestra Room.  This string orchestra is an advanced ensemble that performs music from a wide variety of musical styles and time periods.  The orchestra performs in the January-Winter Concert, May-All Strings Concert and Spring Concert, and at the AHS Graduation in June.  A recent addition to the group’s performance calendar is an in-school fall performance with the concert band.  It is strongly recommended that students in this ensemble take private lessons.  Other performance opportunities available to students in the AHS Orchestra are Junior/Senior District Festivals, All State Orchestra, and the Traveling Chamber Strings, which performs in the community.  Please note: Students must be enrolled in Concert Band, Chorus, or Orchestra for at least one semester in order to be eligible to audition for MMEA Northeast District or All-State festivals.  Prerequisite: Successful completion of middle school orchestra program or at least 3 years of private music study. Honors Orchestra students will be enrolled for the entire year and must complete one additional project, lead school sectionals/ensemble, audition for Districts, and participate in an Honors Recital with an original or selected solo. Students selecting Orchestra do not need to elect the honors level until the class is in session.

Beginning Piano & Guitar - This course is designed to allow high school students (9-12) with minimal or limited training to begin playing an instrument. This course allows students who wish to learn piano or guitar. Students will learn music theory and performance skills. Open to Grades 9-12. 

Rock and Pop Ensembles - For students with at least one year of instrumental experience, this course is designed to help students gain proficiency and confidence in playing in small groups. Students may enroll in this course if they have experience playing guitar, piano, ukulele, drums, bass, or any non-traditional concert or stringed instruments. Students will be assigned an ensemble based on experience and instrumentation and work towards concerts and community events.  Students will work together to devise their set-lists, develop arrangements, and rehearse for performance. Students will have the freedom to explore musical styles, genres, and repertoire. Open to Grades 9-12. 

Improvisational Theatre & Advanced Acting - This course will delve deeply into the art of improvisation as well as other acting techniques. Students will begin with simple improvisation exercises that develop imaginary object use, free association and spontaneity skills, free form improvisation, movement improvisation, and structured improvisation. In addition, students will also work within structured scenes and explore different acting methodologies. The ensemble approach is strongly emphasized and the structure will force students to invest in each other's success. Thematic work around performance genres, stereotyping character, metaphor and abstraction  will be ongoing.  Prerequisite: Improvisational Theatre & Advanced Acting will be open to students who have taken Foundations of Theatre, or with departmental permission. 

Technical Theatre - Students will explore several disciplines within the field of technical theater. Utilizing the Collins Center stage, scene shop, and technical equipment, the students will gain hands-on experience in scenery and prop construction, stage rigging, theatrical lighting, and audio. Besides completing various projects in class, each student will work on the technical crew for at least one show during the semester. Offered during the third and fourth block only. 

Songwriting -  Students will develop skills in mastering melody, harmony, arrangement, lyrics, and composition. This product/project-based course will focus on how to help students develop their self-expression with musical competency and lyrical/thematic depth.  Students will achieve their goals as composers by developing their ability to master the basics of music composition, including hearing and notating pitches, intervals, scales and keys, chords, meter, and rhythm. These concepts will be addressed through listening to and composing a wide variety of music based on student interest and genre study, including the music of non‐Western culture tonality. The course focuses on modern writing practices, including collaboration and production, as well as performance. The ability to read and write musical notation is fundamental to this course. It is strongly recommended that the student has acquired at least an essential performance skill set in voice or an instrument. 

Foundations of Theater - Students will be introduced to contemporary drama, comedy, and tragedy through in-class reading, discussion, and script analysis.  Projects include scene production where students exercise basic theatrical technique and collaborative play writing.  In understanding that the audience is central to the theatrical event, students will learn to appreciate the value of  giving and  receiving critique. Students will learn to work in imaginative situations.  A variety of approaches to drama and theater will be illuminated. Exploratory improvisation, movement, text and vocal work are used to examine the human condition in real and imagined scenarios. Students will develop an understanding of theatrical form and function. 

Public Speaking - Students will strengthen formal and informal speech communication skills by examining self, subject, audience, space, and time. Students will also sharpen their listening skills by offering daily critiques emphasizing body, face, and voice effectiveness.  The importance of body language will be stressed, along with the use of vocal variety to create more compelling presentations. Project work will focus on presentation, public speaking, and dramatic skills like oral interpretation, reader's theater, and monologue development. This course is recommended for students whose future interests lie in theatre, education, and business/marketing—especially for DECA students. 

Theater for Young Audiences - This course is open to all students interested in theater production (actors, designers and technicians) and is encouraged for students whose career paths may include early childhood education.  Students will investigate the special style of acting that is needed to perform in Theater for Young Audiences. All class members will be involved in all production and performance areas. Topics include storytelling, improvisation, theatre games, acting, play selection, direction, settings, and costumes. Students will collectively explore the world of Children’s Theater: its goals, tactics and audience and ultimately build and manage a touring production that will visit Andover Elementary Schools.

Film & 20th Century American Culture - This course will study American culture as viewed through the lens of the first 100 years of film. Students will study films, which most closely represent shifts in American culture and thinking throughout the 20th century. Students will examine screenwriters, directors, producers and actors that created art from the events that shaped America during this time. We will examine how the same work of art can communicate different messages to different people.  The goal of this course is to teach students how to critically analyze and evaluate films as cultural texts. Students will write critical film reviews to examine both, how a film works, and how and why it affects the viewer the way it does. Students will learn how to use popular American films to understand competing perspectives on American history, culture, and society.

Music Production 1 - In this course, students will master the creative tools and techniques required to compose, record, remix, improvise, produce and edit your musical ideas, using Apple’s Logic software. Logic is a digital audio workstation where students can arrange pre-recorded music or create their own piece. Music Production 1 is designed to enhance student understanding of modern music production through individual and group work. By the end of the course, you will know how to use MIDI, audio, filters, and automation to make your own music. Students will develop skills in arranging, basic keyboarding, and advanced audio techniques in multiple styles and genres.

Music Production 2 - In this course, students will apply their foundation skills learned in Music Productions I to build upon their skills with a digital audio workstation as well as focus on intermediate to advanced concepts of writing, producing, and performing music in the digital workspace by using Logic Pro X.  Students apply various software and hardware combinations to create successful club and radio productions by expanding their understanding of creative processes. Techniques include mixing and mastering  process, digital signal processing, reverb, delay, equalization, and compression. Students will develop refined listening, evaluation, and judgment assessments. Students will work on projects within the school building and community.

Audition Only - After School Programs