Arts


Art I


Credit: 1 Unit


Art 1 is an introductory style course designed to expose students to a variety of art media, techniques, and processes. Throughout the semester, students will learn tips and tricks to help them become better drawers, will work with lots of different materials to create art, and will learn about different art and artists. This course is open to any student interested in art-making or any student interested in further developing their innate artistic talents. For students interested in taking more advanced art classes, the Art I course is designed to provide students with a strong understanding of the fundamentals of art and design through the completion of teacher-designed art lessons. Successful completion of Art I is required for students seeking to take Art II or above.


Art II


Credit: 1 Unit


Art II is designed to build upon and further develop the art-making skills established in the Art I course. Students in Art II will continue to work with a variety of art-making materials, techniques, and processes while completing teacher-designed art lessons. In Art II, students will be introduced to new art and artists and will work with a larger variety of materials than Art I. For students seeking to take Art III Honors or above, the successful completion of Art II is required.


Art III Honors


Credit: 1 Unit


Art III Honors is an accelerated course designed to allow students an opportunity to further develop and explore their own artistic interests as established by their work in both Art I and Art II. Students in Art III Honors will complete teacher-designed lessons but will also be encouraged to create their own artwork based on an overarching idea/concept. While the Art I and Art II courses are meant to teach students to be become better artists, Art III is meant to allow students an opportunity to explore their prior learning in new and more personally meaningful ways. Successful completion of Art I and Art II is required for students wishing to take Art III Honors.


AP Studio Art: Drawing


Credit: 1 Unit / AP Exam


This course is for highly motivated students who are ready for a college-level art experience. Students taking AP Art should have a strong foundation in visual art and should be prepared to work on their assignments outside of the scheduled class time. Students taking AP Art should work well independently and should be ready to create high-quality, unique artworks using their own ideas, experiences, and interests. Students will demonstrate mastery through drawing. Students will submit a portfolio as their AP examination in May.


AP Studio Art: Two-Dimensional Design


Credit: 1 Unit / AP Exam


This course is for highly motivated students who are ready for a college-level art experience. Students taking AP Art should have a strong foundation in visual art and should be prepared to work on their assignments outside of the scheduled class time. Students taking AP Art should work well independently and should be ready to create high-quality, unique artworks using their own ideas, experiences, and interests. Students will demonstrate mastery through any two-dimensional medium or process. Students will submit a portfolio as their AP examination in May.


Chorus


Chorus I & II- Basic Theory and Rehearsal Technique


Credit: 1 Unit


These courses are designed for the beginning choral student. The courses focus heavily on basic written music theory and basic sight-singing skills. Students begin to learn proper vowel placement and blending. Also, 2-part, 3-part, and 4-part choral music is performed as well as performance/stage/audience etiquette, and students are offered opportunities for solos. Outside rehearsals/performances and participation in 2 major concerts (Fall and Spring) are required. Successful completion of the previous level is a prerequisite for the next.


Chorus III & IV- Intermediate Skills and Rehearsal Technique


Credit: 1 Unit


Prerequisite: Chorus I and II and/or teacher approved audition.

These courses are designed for students who have developed some performance skills. There is continued emphasis on written music theory, basic sight-singing skills, proper vowel placement, and blend. Various styles and difficulty levels of music are performed as well as the continued study of performance/stage/audience etiquette, and students are offered opportunities for solos. Outside rehearsals/performances and participation in 2 major concerts (Fall and Spring) are required. Students may be chosen to audition for All-County and/or All-State Chorus. Uniform/T-shirt purchase required. Successful completion of the previous level is a prerequisite.


Chorus V & VI – Choral Skills


Credit: 1 Unit


Prerequisite: Chorus III and IV and/or teacher approved audition

These courses are designed for the student who has excelled in choral performance in the previous levels. Students are given more opportunities to develop vocal flexibility, control, and blend. There is continued emphasis on advanced written music theory and sight-singing skills. Moderate to difficult choral music in various styles is performed as well as the continued study of performance/stage/audience etiquette, and students are offered opportunities for solos. Outside rehearsals/performances and participation in 2 major concerts (Fall and Spring) are required. Students may be chosen to audition for All-County and/or All-State Chorus. Uniform/T-shirt purchase required. Successful completion of the previous level is a prerequisite for the next. 


Chorus I – VIII Advanced Ensemble


Credit: 1 Unit


Prerequisite: Audition Only

This course is designed for the advanced choral student. Students are chosen by teacher audition only. At this level, music reading skills and vocal techniques are polished. Moderate to difficult music in various styles is performed. Students are expected to audition for All-County Chorus and All-State Chorus. Many outside rehearsals/performances are required as well as participation in all major concerts. Uniform/T-shirt purchase is required. Successful completion of the previous level is a prerequisite of the next. 


IB Music


Through the Diploma Programme music course, students will develop to become well-rounded modern musicians through a combination of practical work, theoretic and technical training, and the development of creative competencies.

This holistic course achieves this by scaffolding and integrated approaches to: 

Throughout this course, students and teachers have flexibility and agency to access unique and personalized content and approaches to engaging with music: 

Four Areas of Inquiry combined with diverse contexts offer students the opportunity to experience a variety of musical works, forms, and genres in a meaningful manner. Throughout the course, students embody three roles, the researcher, the creator and the performer. Through their work, students inquire, create, perform and reflect on their work in progress. This creative process of working in the arts, and specifically in music, is encapsulated in the three musical processes, exploring music in context, experimenting with music, and presenting music. This flexibility is about choice in the learning, teaching and assessment as well as forging deep, life-long connections between students’ passions and interests and the wider world of music and music-making.  


Instrumental Music


Instrumental Music: Jazz Band 1-4


Credit: 1 Unit


Audition and director’s approval required. Class meets before school and transportation not provided. This is an advanced jazz band. Students will develop musical skills through rehearsals that include jazz chord progressions, listening exams, scale studies, and standard commercial and jazz band repertoire at the advance level. Some activities will occur outside the regular class period.


Instrumental Music Guitar


Credit: 1 Unit


This is a beginning/Intermediate guitar for high school students. Students will learn the basic technique for acoustic guitar which includes chord progressions, rhythm skills, tablature reading and traditional written notation. Students will learn maintenance and proper care of acoustic instruments.


Instrumental Music: Band 1-4


Credit: 1 Unit


Prerequisite: Middle School Band or Directors Approval

In Music Band for the high school student, students will develop musical skills through rehearsals that include chord progressions, listening exams, scale studies, and standard concert band repertoire at the intermediate level. Some activities will occur outside the regular class period.


Instrumental Music: Band 5-8 


Credit: 1 Unit


Audition and director’s approval required.

This is an advanced concert band course for students to develop musical skills through rehearsals that include chord progressions, listening exams, scale studies, and standard concert band repertoire at the advanced level. Students are required to audition for the All County Band and encouraged to audition for region band and participate in solo and ensemble festivals. Some activities will occur outside of the regular class periods. 


Honors Symphonic Band


Credit: 1 Unit


This class is designed advanced level musicians playing wind and rhythm instruments. Tone, intonation, rhythm, technique, and expression are stressed. The band participates in marching performances and concerts during the school year. Attendance at performances is required.


Honor Symphonic Band III (Proficient) Assignments


Credit: 1 Unit 


· Music Analysis: Attend two approved performances outside of your high school concerts and/or performances. One is due at the end of each nine weeks. For each performance attended, you must turn in a concert program, ticket stub, etc. If the concert program or ticket stub is something you would like to keep, bring the original to school and a photocopy will be made to put in your file. You must also complete a concert review (2 pages, 12 pt. Times New Roman, single-spaced, 1” margins). In this review you must cover the following topics:




performed have had on the development of music through history or the music industry.




· Audition Experience: Audition for the All-Region Band (Fall Semester) or All-County Band (Fall Semester) and participate if selected, unless you have a valid conflict that prevents you from doing so.


· Advanced Ensembles: Take part in an approved musical performing group outside of your high school band program. Rehearsing and performing in different performance situations and under different musical leadership is essential to our growth as a musician. Options to fulfill this requirement include the USC and CCU Honor Bands, a local community band, Singing Christmas Tree, Any local recognized Theatre production, North Myrtle Beach Community Band, Long Bay Youth Symphony etc.


· Research Paper: Research a composer of your choosing from any era in music history (Gregorian Chant – 21st Century). Submit a research paper (4 pages, 12 pt. Times New Roman, single-spaced, 1” margins) in which you explore the history and life of that composer as well as their important works and impact on the history of music. If you have done this assignment before you must choose a different composer from a different era.


Honor Symphonic Band IV (Advanced) Assignments


Credit:  1 Unit 


· Music Analysis: Same as Honor Band III (Proficient) assignment


· Audition Experience: Same as Honor Band III (Proficient) assignment


· Advanced Ensembles: Same as Honor Band III (Proficient) assignment


· Composition and Research: Using music notation software, decide upon a song of your choice to arrange for a small instrumental ensemble or full band. Research the music in question. Write a 2-page paper demonstrating your understanding of the composer and literature in relation to history and the culture in which it originated as well as what elements and influences helped contribute to their works and writing style. Also discuss how your research helped to begin shaping your composition. Arrange your song of choice for the ensemble you’ve chosen. Produce a professional-quality score and complete set of parts. If possible, conduct and record your arrangement.


Instrumental Music: Orchestra-Strings 1-4


Credit: 1 Unit


Prerequisite: Middle School Orchestra or Directors Approval


In Orchestra-Strings for the high school student, students will develop musical skills through rehearsals that include chord progressions, listening exams, scale studies, and standard orchestra repertoire at the intermediate level. Some activities will occur outside the regular class period.


Instrumental Music: Orchestra Rehearsal 1-4 


Credit: 1 Unit


Audition and director’s approval required.

This is an advanced orchestra course for students to develop musical skills through rehearsals that include chord progressions, listening exams, scale studies, and standard orchestra repertoire at the advanced level. Students are required to audition for the All County Orchestra and encouraged to audition for region orchestra and participate in solo and ensemble festivals. Some activities will occur outside of the regular class periods. 


Music Technology


Credit: 1 Unit


In this course, students become composers, creating music from a variety of digital audio sources such as Garage Band, Soundtrap and MuseScore notation software. A focus is placed on creating music for instrumental ensembles, original albums, commercial, video game, and film elements. Students learn the basics of melody, harmony, and chord progression techniques to guide them in creating a real-world experience in music creation. A background in musical ensembles and notation reading is encouraged.