Course Offerings

 Please note that RECORDER, DRUMSET, GUITAR and PIANO are not offered in the courses below.

BAND INSTRUMENTS INCLUDE: flute, oboe, bassoon, clarinet, bass clarinet, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, French horn, trumpet, trombone, baritone/euphonium, tuba, percussion (includes mallets and drums)

ORCHESTRA INSTRUMENTS INCLUDE: violin, viola, cello, string bass

Middle School Beginning Band (FULL YEAR)

This course is for students with no prior instrumental music experience. Students prepare for participation in performing ensembles and develop technical skills necessary to perform Grade 1 level music, a performance level established by the National Association for Music Education and not a reference to first grade. Basic instrumental skills are developed by performing a variety of music. Students are taught the elements of musical form, terms and symbols, tone production, instrument care and maintenance, and the importance of consistent practice habits. Cultural context of the music and its historical significance as they relate to performance is studied. Students may attend live performances and perform in public. They may be enrolled concurrently with Middle School Band I or Orchestra I if necessary to run the course.

Band I (FULL YEAR)

Prerequisite: Attainment of outcomes for Beginning Band in Grades 4–5 or 6–8.

Students refine skills learned from their elementary Grade 4 and 5 instrumental music programs or in Middle School Beginning Band, String, or Wind and Percussion, and develop more advanced performance techniques. The development of technical skills necessary to perform Grade 1 to Grade 2 Level music is stressed. Emphasis is placed on developing formal rehearsal decorum, following a conductor, and developing pitch and rhythmic security in preparation for performing an independent part in the traditional band or orchestra ensemble. Students also learn melodic form and construction as they examine and perform more complex folk melodies and melodies from master composers.Students discuss the social and intellectual influences that affected the creation of the music they are studying. They begin to develop aesthetic criteria for measuring the quality of instrumental performance. Students may attend live performances and perform in public.

Band 2 (FULL YEAR)

Prerequisite: Attainment of outcomes for Middle School Band I. Students may also audition to qualify for this course. This course may be taken for more than one year. 

Students develop and refine their technical skills in order to perform music at the Grade 2 Level of difficulty. Emphasis is placed on developing formal rehearsal decorum, following a conductor and developing pitch and rhythmic security in preparation for performing an independent part in the traditional band or orchestra ensemble. Students learn the social, cultural, and intellectual influences reflected in the musical works they are studying and discuss performance styles and musical forms of corresponding historical periods. The study of music theory includes performance and recognition of major scales, diatonic and chromatic intervals, and simple melodic dictation. The critical listening skills that are developed as a result of preparation for instrumental performance is used to help the student formulate criteria for effectively evaluating his/her own performance as well as the performance of others. This band or orchestra represents middle schools at public performances.      

Band 3 (FULL YEAR)

Prerequisite: Attainment of outcomes for Middle School Band II. Band 1 students may audition to qualify for this course. They may take this course for multiple years.

Students distinguish between abstract and programmatic music and learn and discuss the social, intellectual, and historical influences on each. Students develop and refine their technical skills in order to perform music at the Grade 3 Level of difficulty. In addition, students perform and historically categorize transcriptions of a variety of composers.

This band represents our school at public performances and usually participates in a spring trip.

Middle School Beginning Strings (FULL YEAR)

This course is for students with no prior instrumental music experience. Students prepare for participation in performing ensembles and develop technical skills necessary to perform Grade 1 level music, a performance level established by the National Association for Music Education and not a reference to first grade. Basic instrumental skills are developed by performing a variety of music. Students are taught the elements of musical form, terms and symbols, tone production, instrument care and maintenance, and the importance of consistent practice habits. Cultural context of the music and its historical significance as they relate to performance is studied. Students may attend live performances and perform in public. They may be enrolled concurrently with Middle School Band I or Orchestra I if necessary to run the course. (instrument options include: violin, viola, cello, string bass)

Orchestra I  (FULL YEAR)

Prerequisite: Attainment of outcomes for Beginning Band in Grades 4–5 or 6–8. 

Students refine skills learned from their elementary Grade 4 and 5 instrumental music programs or in Middle School Beginning Strings, and develop more advanced performance techniques. The development of technical skills necessary to perform Grade 1 to Grade 2 Level music is stressed. Emphasis is placed on developing formal rehearsal decorum, following a conductor, and developing pitch and rhythmic security in preparation for performing an independent part in the traditional band or orchestra ensemble. Students also learn melodic form and construction as they examine and perform more complex folk melodies and melodies from master composers.Students discuss the social and intellectual influences that affected the creation of the music they are studying. They begin to develop aesthetic criteria for measuring the quality of instrumental performance. Students may attend live performances and perform in public.

Orchestra 2 (FULL YEAR)

Prerequisite: Attainment of outcomes for Orchestra I. Students may also audition to qualify for this course. This course may be taken for more than one year.

Students develop and refine their technical skills in order to perform music at the Grade 2-3 Level of difficulty. Emphasis is placed on developing formal rehearsal decorum, following a conductor and developing pitch and rhythmic security in preparation for performing an independent part in the traditional band or orchestra ensemble. Students learn the social, cultural, and intellectual influences reflected in the musical works they are studying and discuss performance styles and musical forms of corresponding historical periods. The study of music theory includes performance and recognition of major scales, diatonic and chromatic intervals, and simple melodic dictation. The critical listening skills that are developed as a result of preparation for instrumental performance is used to help the student formulate criteria for effectively evaluating his/her own performance as well as the performance of others. This band or orchestra represents middle schools at public performances.            

Orchestra 3 (FULL YEAR)

Prerequisite: Attainment of outcomes for Orchestra II. Orchestra 1 students may audition to qualify for this course. They may take this course for multiple years.

Students distinguish between abstract and programmatic music and learn and discuss the social, intellectual, and historical influences on each. Students develop and refine their technical skills in order to perform music at the Grade 3-4 Level of difficulty. In addition, students perform and historically categorize transcriptions of a variety of composers.

This orchestra represents our school at public performances and usually participates in a spring trip.