About...

...the program

Liberty Chorus is a year-long program for each of the 3 grade levels offered in the Connections classes. Students are offered standards-based education in choral music, reinforced with performance opportunities in the school, in the community, and on class trips. Music literacy is reinforced with traditional, seasonal, and popular repertoire.

At Liberty, we are passionate about our HOME, and home includes family. Our chorus members are also involved in drama, band, art, agriculture, robotics, school athletics, travel teams, and just about any other activity imaginable. Singing is accessible to every human, and we want all Patriots to raise their voices.

...the Class

Canvas

Canvas offers a preview of what we will do each week with links to the resources that we use. When I share links on Canvas and in the handbook, I make it a point to share it publicly to anyone with the link so that parents can open those resources, too. If your child has assignments missing in Canvas that are not graded in Infinite Campus (see below,) it is not affecting his/her grade. Most of the things I post in Canvas will be work that they can do until it is mastered. Please don’t hesitate to let me know if you have trouble with Canvas. We are all still learning this new platform and I will help you however I can!

Infinite Campus

Infinite Campus (IC) is our platform for communicating and grades. This is where you will view formative assessment grades and summative assessments. Most of our formative work is done in class as part of our rehearsal, but I will also include our practice drills as grades to track their mastery in music literacy. I will give students every possible opportunity to bring grades up. Please don’t hesitate to ask about grades or assignments.

...the director

E. Leanne Kinney

15th year of teaching

Master of Arts in Teaching
Piedmont College

Bachelor of Arts
Belmont University

Professional multi-instrumentalist and director
Extensive work with vocal coaching, audition prep, accompaniment
Students have ranged from pre-k to senior citizens
Work includes school chorus and ensembles, musical theatre, community and church choir
Experienced educational and community music director in the northeast Georgia region with recognition for Excellence in Music at the Junior Theatre Festival and Best Musical Director (non-professional) by Broadway World Atlanta
Holds multiple certifications in education

...the history

Liberty Middle School's choral program started with Karen Graffius early in the school's history. Under her direction it earned many awards which are still on display in the chorus room. The chorus continued to thrive through the pandemic under the direction of Forsyth County alumna Claire Pappas, now director at West Forsyth High School.

...the repertoire

It is the director's belief that the music that is chosen for performances has many functions.

It should reinforce music literacy and the standards of music education set forth by the state
It should expose the students to a variety of genres and styles.
It should have historical and cultural relevance
It should promote enjoyment of music and performance (particularly at this age level)

To this end, the director will use her professional knowledge to create programs using all resources at her disposal based on educational standards of music from western civilization. The course will also explore music with other cultural backgrounds either in listening or performance. Because of the overarching role of the Roman Catholic church in music history in western civilization, Christian music will necessarily be included in the repertoire. Hundreds of years of music literature was commissioned by the church from history's greatest composers.

Use of sacred music will not be for the purpose of religious indoctrination in the classroom nor for evangelical purposes in performance. The director will also make every attempt to be respectful of students' religious beliefs. Students will be surveyed at the start of the 2nd quarter regarding the "Winter Concert" in December, which has a cultural expectation of Christmas music. No students will be either excluded from instruction nor required to perform text that violates their own religious beliefs; all students will be encouraged to reflect upon others' beliefs with tolerance and respect.

For more on the use of sacred text in public education, please see this article from the National Association for Music Education: https://nafme.org/resource/sacred-music-in-schools/

Contact the Director

E-mail :

f40230@forsyth.k12.ga.us

Phone:

(770) 781-4889 X 290517

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