BAND

Beginning Band

• Grade 9, 10, 11, 12

• Length of Course: Three trimesters

• Fulfills Graduation Requirements for Art

The Beginning Band is for students in any grade who have had less than a year of Band experience. This course focuses on teaching students how to play a woodwind, brass, or percussion instrument for the first time. Instrument choices include flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, baritone, and tuba. School will provide instruments and music for use during class time if needed. Families may choose to rent or purchase an instrument through a local music store to guarantee a student’s first choice instrument.

Concert Band

• Grade 9, 10, 11, 12

• Length of Course: Three trimesters

• Prerequisite: Recommendation of Middle School band director or interview/audition with director

• Fulfills the Graduation Requirements for Art

The Concert Band is for 9th grade students and intermediate students. This course focuses on the development of ensemble skills and fundamental technical skills necessary for musical performance. Music chosen for Concert Band will include traditional, popular and contemporary styles for high school band. This band performs in three to four concerts during the school year and participates in the Region 8AA Music Festival, and along with all 9-12 band students, functions as the Pep Band for selected school sporting events.

Symphonic Band

• Grade 9*, 10, 11, 12

• Length of Course: Three trimesters

• Prerequisite: Concert band or instructor’s approval

• Fulfills Graduation Requirements for Art

The Symphonic Band is a non-auditioned band class for 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students. This course focuses on the development of ensemble skills and fundamental technical skills necessary for musical performance. Music chosen for Concert Band will include traditional, popular and contemporary styles for high school band. This band performs in three to four concerts during the school year and participates in the Region 8AA Music Festival, and along with all 9-12 band students, functions as the Pep Band for selected school sporting events. Symphonic Band is also available to select 9th grade students who “Double” in a choir or orchestra course.

Wind Ensemble

• Grade 10, 11, 12

• Length of Course: Three trimesters

• Prerequisite: Audition/Instructor’s Approval

• Fulfills Graduation Requirements for Art

The Wind Ensemble is limited in size and instrumentation. Music will be selected from the high quality traditional and contemporary literature written for band. The Wind Ensemble performs in four to five concerts during the school year and participates in the Central Lakes Conference Music Festival, and along with all 9-12 band students, functions as the Pep Band at selected school sporting events. The Wind Ensemble tours annually in the spring as ambassadors of our school district. This tour will vary from year to year. All students must audition for placement in the group and are encouraged to study privately on their instrument.

CHOIR

Tenor/Bass Choir

• Grade 9, 10, 11, 12

• Length of Course: Three trimesters

• Fulfills Graduation Requirements for Art

Tenor/Bass Choir is the first year non-auditioned choir for all tenor/bass singers at Apollo and Tech. The course will emphasize the enjoyment of choral music and development of the basic skills necessary for successful choral singing, including vocal technique, sight-singing ability, and general musicianship skills. Tenor/Bass Choir is involved in three or four mandatory performances a year. 9th grade soprano/alto students who dual-enroll or “double” in a band or orchestra course will enroll in Mixed Choir instead of Treble Choir.

Treble Choir

• Grade 9, 10, 11, 12

• Length of Course: Three trimesters

• Fulfills Graduation Requirements for Art

Treble Choir is the first year non-auditioned choir for all soprano/alto singers at Apollo and Tech. The course will emphasize the enjoyment of choral music and development of the basic skills necessary for good singing, including vocal technique, sight-singing ability, and general musicianship skills. Treble Choir is involved in three or four graded performances a year. 9th grade tenor/bass students who dual-enroll or “double” in a band or orchestra course will enroll in Mixed Choir instead of Tenor/Bass Choir.

Mixed Choir

• Grade 9*, 10, 11, 12

• Length of Course: Three trimesters

• Prerequisite: Tenor/Bass Choir, Treble Choir or permission of the instructor

• Fulfills Graduation Requirements for Art

Mixed Choir is a non-auditioned, mixed-voice ensemble open to any singer in grades 10-12* who enjoys singing and desires a greater understanding of choral music. The course will emphasize the continued development of skills necessary for successful choral singing, including vocal technique, sight-singing ability, and general musicianship skills. Mixed Choir is involved in three or four mandatory performances a year. Mixed Choir is also available to select 9th grade students who dual-enroll or “double” in a band or orchestra course.

Concert Choir

• Grade 10, 11, 12

• Length of Course: Three trimesters

• Prerequisite: Audition

• Fulfills Graduation Requirements for Art

Concert Choir is an auditioned, select mixed choir designed to fulfill the needs of those students who desire a more serious study of choral music. The choir will perform all styles of choral literature from the Renaissance through the contemporary periods. The choir rehearses daily and performs at numerous graded concerts and festivals throughout the year. Students may only enroll for Concert Choir with an invitation from the instructor after a successful audition.

ORCHESTRA

Beginning Orchestra

• Grade 9, 10, 11, 12

• Length of Course: Three trimesters

• Fulfills Graduation Requirements for Art

The Beginning Orchestra is for students in any grade who have had less than a year of Orchestra experience. This course focuses on teaching students the foundations of how to play a bowed string instrument for the first time. Instrument choices include violin, viola, cello, and string bass. School will provide instruments and music for use during class time if needed. Families may choose to rent or purchase an instrument through a local music store to guarantee a student’s first choice instrument.

Concert Orchestra

• Grade 9, 10, 11, 12

• Length of Course: Three trimesters

• Prerequisite: Recommendation of Middle School Director or interview/audition with Director

• Fulfills Graduation Requirements for Art

The Concert Orchestra is an ensemble for 9th graders and other intermediate and developing string students who would like to focus on perfecting the fundamentals of string technique and musicianship, including basic shifting, key signatures, and beginning vibrato. Music will include traditional, popular, and contemporary orchestral selections of various styles and cultures. The Concert Orchestra performs at 3-4 evening concerts throughout the year along with the Region 8AA Music Festival in the Spring.

Symphony Orchestra

• Grade 10, 11, 12

• Length of Course: Three trimesters

• Prerequisite: Completion of Concert Orchestra or Audition

• Fulfills Graduation Requirements for Art

The Symphony Orchestra is an advanced, auditioned-based string ensemble for students who have mastered the fundamentals of string-playing. The group performs a wide variety of string orchestra music of different styles and cultures. Musical selections will be chosen from a comprehensive library of advanced classical and contemporary literature for string and full orchestra with the occasional addition of winds, brass, and percussion. The Symphony Orchestra performs in 3-4 evening concerts and festivals throughout the year, including the Central Lakes Conference (CLC) Music Festival in the Spring. Meets daily as a large group ensemble, along with some additional sectionals and lessons. See director for audition/approval requirements.

MUSIC

AP Music Theory

• Grade 10, 11, 12 (AP Level)

• Length of Course: Three trimesters

• Prerequisite: Students should be able to read and write musical notation, and it is strongly recommended that the student has acquired at least basic performance skills in voice or on an instrument.

• Fulfills Graduation Requirements for Art

This advanced music course will reflect a range of skills typically developed during introductory college courses in music theory. This is NOT a music appreciation class. The foundation of knowledge presented in the year-long AP Music Theory music course provides students the opportunity to develop, practice and master music theory skills essential to success in post-secondary music theory course work. Musicianship skills including dictation and other listening skills, sight singing, and harmony are considered an important part of the course. Performance is also a part of the curriculum through the practice of sight singing. Notational skills, speed and fluency with basic materials are also emphasized. Passing the exam in the spring with a 3-4 or 5 may earn you college credits at many colleges and universities.

Guitar Ensemble

• Grade 9, 10, 11, 12

• Length of Course: Three trimesters

• Fulfills Graduation Requirements for Art

This course continues to develop the skills learned in Introduction to Guitar (formerly known as Guitar I) or who already have introductory experience with guitar by learning how to play as part of an ensemble, read music and play by ear. Among things learned will be correct technique, strumming patterns, and chording. School will provide guitars for in-school class use.

History of Rock and Roll

• Grade 9, 10, 11, 12

• Length of Course: One trimester

• Fulfills Graduation Requirements for Art

This course will explore the influences which began and continue to shape popular music in America. Examine how music reflects the social and historical events of our country. Contributions from world cultures will be emphasized and students will actively participate in related classroom performances. No prior musical training or experience is needed.

Introduction to Drumming

• Grade 9, 10, 11, 12

• Length of Course: One trimester

• Fulfills Graduation Requirements for Art

This is a class on the basics of drumming. Students will be introduced to musical rhythmic notation and drumming using buckets, hands and drumsticks. Students are graded on drumming skill, written assignments and classroom participation.

Introduction to Guitar

• Grade 9, 10, 11, 12

• Length of Course: One trimester (only offered Trimesters 1 and 2)

• Fulfills Graduation Requirements for Art

The student will learn basic classical (nylon-stringed) guitar skills with emphasis on the classical style. Basic note- and rhythm-reading, basic chords, and basic right-hand techniques will be learned in class. School will provide in-school guitars for class use.

Introduction to World Music

• Grade 9, 10, 11, 12

• Length of Course: One trimester

• Fulfills Graduation Requirements for Art

This course will explore selected musical traditions from around the world. We will explore how these musical traditions are shaped by and give shape to the cultural settings in which they are performed. Students will explore these musical traditions through listening, observing and active participation. This course will explore folk, art, and popular music from cultural sound-scapes selected from Sub-Saharan Africa, India, Asia, the Middle East, Indonesia, Latin America, North America, and Europe.

Music Exploration

• Grade 9, 10, 11, 12

• Length of Course: One trimester

• Fulfills Graduation Requirements for Art

Music Exploration is a class offered to students in grades 9-12 that explores the various fundamentals of music theory, musical elements, music history, singing, and creating music. Students will learn the fundamental skills needed to make progress toward their own musical goals or participating in vocal ensembles at the high school level. This is a non-performance class.

Songwriting

• Grade 9, 10, 11, 12

• Length of Course: Trimester 1

• Fulfills Graduation Requirements for Art

Have you ever thought about what it would be like to write, produce, promote and publish your own music? In songwriting, we will create music and work collaboratively to refine our craft as songwriters. Students can expect to learn about song structure, writing/revising, the production process and marketing. Students will also showcase their music at the end of the course.