FMS Music Program

Updated 2-28-24

Class Overview:

Foothills Middle School has four instrumental music groups:

Band 6 (6th Grade students)
Orchestra 6 (6th grade string students),
Highlander Band (7th and 8th Graders),
Highlander String Orchestra (7th and 8th Graders)

So that you know what a normal year's worth of activity looks like at Foothills MS, here is what we have done over our last several years:

Our 6th grade groups start at a beginning level but move quickly through a first year method book so that everyone gets caught up by the end of the year and is able to play exciting music. Intermediate and more advanced 6th graders are also enrolled in Band 6 or Orchestra 6 but help the group proceed forward much more quickly. Both B6 and O6 perform evening concerts at Foothills twice yearly and attend an SCSBOA Music Festival in March at a local high school where they receive input from adjudicators on their performance and sight reading. They also hear other older groups perform, eat lunch together and return home.

Our Highlander Band will attend three parades, a vertical concert which is a joint concert with our sister middle schools and the high school's groups at the AHS PAC. Each year we also travel to their elementary school to perform for younger siblings, former teachers and principals. We also perform evening concerts at Foothills twice yearly and a number of school day student body performances.

Our Highlander String Orchestra will perform at a Fall String Concert and a Vertical Concert at the AHS PAC. The HSO also attends an SCSBOA Music Festival at a local high school. Each year we also travel to their elementary school to perform for younger siblings, former teachers and principals. We also perform evening concerts at Foothills twice yearly and a number of school day student body performances. Some years we also attend an LA Philharmonic rehearsal at Disney Hall or similar event to learn about careers in music.

Highlander Band (7th & 8th Grade)

Highlander Strings (7th & 8th Grade)

Orchestra 6

Band 6

About me

Thanks for visiting my page. I've been teaching instrumental music here at Foothills Middle School since 2002. I very much enjoy teaching music at this level. I enjoy seeing our young men and women grow in responsibility and skill during the time they are with me. My goal is to give students a very high quality instrumental music experience that keeps alive and increases their love of performing music in an ensemble setting. I work hard to be able to send students off to Arcadia High School ready to participate in the outstanding music groups available to them there.

I have a Bachelors degree in Music from the University of Oregon and a Masters Degree in Music from the University of Southern California. I received my teaching credential from California State University at Los Angeles. I have been teaching music since 1995 first with LAUSD and since 2001 here in Arcadia. I love teaching in this district and being part of a community of music educators and a larger community of teachers, administrators and ancillary staff with a shared mission.

My wife is a professor of education and my son is an AHS grad and is now out in the working world.

I enjoy playing bagpipes, tenor sax, trombone, electric bass and of course my first and main instrument the 'cello. I'm a member of the Pasadena Scottish Pipes and Drums Grade 5 Band as a bagpiper and pipe major. We compete at Scottish Festivals around Southern California each year.

I look forward to meeting you at an upcoming concert or music event.

Gratefully,

Karl Morton